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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409 |
I have done a search for a thread on this topic and couldn't find one. Does anybody know which reference work is used as the basis for the idiosyncratic Cerberus that passes for a spell-checker? The vagaries of the checker have certainly generated a fair amount of amusement, but I wonder if anyone knows of superior alternatives which might be suggested for Anu's consideration. Perhaps even one that allows registered users to add to a custom dictionary for place names and other frequently used but unrecognised words. Just my 2˘ "Nationalism is an infantile disease, the measles of humanity" - Albert Einstein
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027 |
To such a highly educated and refined clientele as the regulars of this board, a "creative" spell-checker is more of an asset than a merely "correct" one, at least from what I have seen so far: it has given rise to hilarious and serious exchanges. Orthography in English seems to me far less of an obstacle than certain idiomatic aspects of that language. To my knowledge, there is no electronic help for advanced problems of this sort.
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204 |
I totally agree with you, wsieber (or Wu) - you have said what I was going to say, but in much better language. Ta. (or Tab)
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981 |
I think there is a learning curve with the spell-checker.
At first amazement and incredulity followed by frustration and irritation mellowing out to something akin to .... admiration.
The spell-checker is not just a mere functionary designed to smooth the path of our verbal meanderings it is .... art!
I'm looking for a good name along the lines of “The International Campaign to save Idiosyncratic Spell-checkers from Extinction” but I never was any good at acronyms.
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204 |
?? United Front For Idiosyncratic Spell CHeckers
(sorry, haven't quite figured out how to colour the letters, so you'll have to make do with capitals - I'd add something at the bottom, but that would be an im pediment)
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
Save Our Lexiphanic English Crunching Idiomatic Spelling Monitor (SOLECISM)
(90% of the headwords in my wwftd dictionary are unknown to 100% of the spell-checkers in the known universe, which is why the disclaimer reads "you try spell-checking this stuff!")
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409 |
Save Our Lexiphanic English Crunching Idiomatic Spelling Monitor (SOLECISM)
Don't you listen to him Dan, he's a devil, not a man! Just when I think that I could not be more awestruck by your eloquence, you prove me wrong. Thanks to all who replied to my original query, I guess I'm just lazy. My problem with any non-customised spell-checker is that after wading through dozens of false alerts in the same paragraph, I tend to miss valid ones. I know that's my fault, but it would be nice to have the option of adding frequently used words, especially nouns, to the spell-checker's repertoire. Oh well, never mind, I guess I will just have to take the time to read my posts properly and do my own spell checking. Quelle horreur!
"Nationalism is an infantile disease, the measles of humanity" - Albert Einstein
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
>I guess I will just have to take the time...
a long, long time ago, in a far off (perhaps parallel) galaxy, someone (Jeff, I think) suggested composing one's messages using one's own favorite editor/spellchecker and pasting them into AWAD's forlorn yet hapless editor.
this would seem to be efficient/effective/efficacious only to the extent that one is truly orthographically distraught.
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409 |
this would seem to be efficient/effective/efficaciousPlease use those three words in the same sentence, purely for my entertainment. "Nationalism is an infantile disease, the measles of humanity" - Albert Einstein
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
>Please use those three words in the same sentence... well, in a way I did, just then -- but the only reason I did was that I can't keep the various shadings straight in my head.
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