I remember back in the 80’s when I was a few years younger, I was fascinated by the way one of my favorite singers at the time would use numbers and single letters to replace a word in his song lyrics and titles. I thought it was awesome. Instead of TO he used the number 2. Instead of FOR he used a 4. Instead of YOU, he used the letter U, and so on.
I thought it was so cool that I started using that style of writing myself, and I continued using it until just recently. That shortened style of writing became more popular with the rise of the internet and e-mail. Then along came the cell phone and texting. Now, instead of just using letters to shorten words, entire sentences are being replaced with just a few letters. JW for just wondering and LOL for laughing out loud, for example.
It started out as a fun way to be different and moved into a new language that defined a new generation, but now it has gotten way out of hand. In the past few years, I’ve noticed something developing that really troubles me. People have actually forgotten how to spell. We spend so much time using text language that when we try to write something out we can’t get it right. The spelling is wrong, and so is the grammar. Have you noticed it? It has gone beyond texting though. I see it all over the internet. On Facebook and Twitter, and other social media sites. I even see it from professionals.
I don’t mean to be critical or nit-pick because I’m certainly not a model citizen when it comes to writing, or even talking for that matter, but I think this needs to be said. If we forget how to spell, soon we’ll forget how to read, and future generations will know less about God’s word than we do now.
Here’s an example of what I’m talking about and a glimpse of where we could be headed…
FOR SELL. To phone cases. Their both brand new. There sailing on ebay for $10.00 each. I wont $10.00 for both. Your not gone too find a better deal.
This is not an actual ad, but this is the kind of stuff I’m seeing everywhere these days. I hope you found nine mistakes in spelling and grammar. I get texts like this all the time. I see this on Social Networks, on forums, and on YouTube. I’ve received emails like this from business professionals, and I even see it in news articles on the internet.
Again, I’m not condemning anyone or saying anyone is stupid, (I thank God for spell check when I’m writing) but it’s this electronic short-hand language that’s to blame. We use it so much that we have forgotten how to spell correctly. Have you ever heard the phrase USE IT OR LOSE IT? When we write in code all day, every day, that’s what our minds get used to, so proper spelling, and grammar slowly fades until it’s gone.
Here are some of the words I see misspelled and misapplied regularly.
TO, TOO, TWO – I see To used almost every day in place of Too and sometimes for Two.
THERE, THEIR, THEY’RE – Of these, Their is the one I see used the most for the other two.
YOUR, YOU’RE – I’m always seeing the word Your used instead of You’re.
WANT, WON’T – I’ve seen these two interchanged, and sometimes I see it without the apostrophe. Wont instead of Won’t.
SELL, SALE, SAIL – All of these are often mixed up.
KNOW, NO – Surely, when these are interchanged, it has to be on purpose. Right?
ITS, IT’S – These are sometimes mixed up. I have done it many times.
LOOSE, LOSE – LOOSE is usually used to say “Loose My Number” when it should be “Lose My Number”. Loose should be used to say “The Dog Is Loose.”
THEN, THAN – These words are sometimes used for the other one.
WAIT, WEIGHT – I haven’t seen these two mixed up, but I thought I’d mention them while I’m on a roll.
THERE, THEIR, THEY’RE – Of these, Their is the one I see used the most for the other two.
YOUR, YOU’RE – I’m always seeing the word Your used instead of You’re.
WANT, WON’T – I’ve seen these two interchanged, and sometimes I see it without the apostrophe. Wont instead of Won’t.
SELL, SALE, SAIL – All of these are often mixed up.
KNOW, NO – Surely, when these are interchanged, it has to be on purpose. Right?
ITS, IT’S – These are sometimes mixed up. I have done it many times.
LOOSE, LOSE – LOOSE is usually used to say “Loose My Number” when it should be “Lose My Number”. Loose should be used to say “The Dog Is Loose.”
THEN, THAN – These words are sometimes used for the other one.
WAIT, WEIGHT – I haven’t seen these two mixed up, but I thought I’d mention them while I’m on a roll.
It’s easy to see how people can make some of these mistakes. And again, I’m not putting anyone down, I just feel I should throw this out there and maybe help us all to try and get back on the right track before the train completely derails. Because, those who don’t know, don’t know they don’t know.
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