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I have often thought that just as some folks are tone-deaf, unable to distinguish any difference between varying pitches, so, too, some are what I'd call word-deaf; they can't tune into words the way some of us word nerds do. I see this in several of my family members, in fact. My spouse and both of our kids are very intelligent, avid readers, and are highly articulate individuals, but they all find it something of a struggle to write well. Mostly it's spelling, and particularly choosing the correct version of a homonym for the context at hand, but they all have more difficulty in writing than one might expect, given their intelligence.
The reason that I think this may be an innate characteristic rather than any laziness or unwillingness to learn is something that my spouse told me long ago. He is a wicked punster of legendary repute, a skill that I have to a very small degree but nowhere near his ability. He once told me that the reason he puns so often is that when he hears a homonym in conversation, he is literally unable to discern which meaning is intended from the context in which it is set. He mentally runs through all the possible definitions of the word, trying each on for size to see which appears to best fit the thought the person is expressing, and in the process of that lightning-fast mental review, he frequently comes up with the awful groaners for which he is so notorious.
I've been frustrated a time or two by a friend who had perfect pitch and couldn't understand why I didn't just "hear" a C in my mind and be able to hit it perfectly with my voice. I've been frustrated by people who can pick up complicated dance steps after watching them demonstrated one time, when it takes me months of effort and sweat to master a basic waltz, and I still step on my dance partner's feet. I've been frustrated by people who can work algebra and calculus problems in their minds and actually come up with the right answer (and I know at least two people like that). They make it look so easy, and it probably is, for them. But my gifts don't lie in those areas, and those things will never be anything but a struggle for me. And I think that I hear some of that same frustration about writing in several posts in this thread, just as I likely would from my family members.
as my dad gets older (now 82) he does more baby talk or slushmouth talk. A salad becomes a solid. Po-TRan-co becomes Po-tank-0. Wurzbach become Was-bak. and some how a friend as for me on a phone call, and he couldn't figure out who larry was. Part of it is hearing and another part is laziness. He says he can't prounce Chrissy, so he says Christy instead. We don't get it but it is what it is.
speaking of misuse..... plenty of co-workers love to say "those ones".. and seem to think it's proper. I slept through plenty of English classes but do remember a few things
The one that gets me is the conversation that goes like this:
Person1: "Do you mind if I A,B,C, whatever...?"
Person2: "Yes. Go ahead."
When what Person2 really means is "No, I don't mind." People get so used to saying "Yes" if something's okay and "No" if it's not, that they don't understand that "not minding" means, "Yeah, go ahead and do it," But saying "Yes" means "Yes, I mind, don't do it!"
There's a movie preview in advertising circulation right now about murder on the Na Pali coast of Kauai that makes this error in dialogue between two of the characters. It's nice to know that the pop culture is always encouraging the dumbing down of America, if not the source of it in the first place.
Younglisa7, are you on Facebook? If you are, how can you stand the constant misspellings, and initials ? If you aren't , you'd best not go there. It is pretty tricky trying to figure out what is meant.
I have often thought that just as some folks are tone-deaf, unable to distinguish any difference between varying pitches, so, too, some are what I'd call word-deaf; they can't tune into words the way some of us word nerds do. I see this in several of my family members, in fact. My spouse and both of our kids are very intelligent, avid readers, and are highly articulate individuals, but they all find it something of a struggle to write well. Mostly it's spelling, and particularly choosing the correct version of a homonym for the context at hand, but they all have more difficulty in writing than one might expect, given their intelligence.
I both agree and disagree.
I agree about the "word-deaf" thing, it's true that some people just don't "hear" and thus don't pronounce properly. And actually, it's for the same reason as some people are tone-deaf.
But as for not writing well... the thing is: if you're not sure about a spelling, it's so easy to check in a dictionary, especially when very common, everyday words are concerned... it's just a matter of learning the spelling by heart. Once you know it, well, you know it.
I am aware that it can be difficult for some people even after checking the word, though. But some will just not make the effort. I think it's important to, at least, try to learn the spelling. There is a difference betwen suffering from dyslexia (or such), and not suffering from anything but not trying to know.
Just an opinion, though. I may be wrong.
I almost blew a gasket when they actually entered "irregardless" in the dictionary.
Mischievous pronounced mischeeevious.
Jaguar pronounced jagwire.
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