OT- Spelling is out.

[Alneyan]

I had quite a few problems to actually read this few sentences, it would have been much more easier if the letters were correctly placed for me. (I do not mind a typo here and there, but when no word is properly spelled... *Shivers*)

Thanks Slynky, I am glad to see I am not the only one who cares about spelling. I am not saying that my spelling is perfect obviously, you are in fact welcome to point out any typo or mistake I make. (Especially in stories that is, but I am digressing)

And finally, isn't Towards an alternate spelling for Toward? (The latter is especially American according to my dictionary) It would explain the two different pronunciations. But I may be wrong of course.

[Slynky]

Originally posted by Alneyan:
And finally, isn't Towards an alternate spelling for Toward? (The latter is especially American according to my dictionary) It would explain the two different pronunciations. But I may be wrong of course.

NP. I "hear" you.

Towards is listed as a word. BUT, under the FIRST listing, toward, it lists as an acceptable pronunciationn as I mentioned...the "twardz" Version. This is maybe a bad example.

Let's try another of my Favorites, preventive. As in taking advance measures of protection (a rough definition). You will also find a listing of, preventitive (sp?). I think that people looked at the word and added an extra sylable. And the makers of dictionaries just added it instead of "saying", "Hey, dude, that isn't the way it's pronounced!".

[Fyron]

Dictionaries are not the arbitrators of language, but rather the reflection of it. This is not France, afterall.

[Alneyan]

Yes, your point is still valid, even if the first example is perhaps not suitable. I have to admit I still didn't get the meaning of what you said, but I take your words for that as I am myself not an American. (And that is also probably due to my natural silliness)

As for your other example, I have "preventative" in my own dictionary, which is supposedly a synonym of preventive as you pointed out. A quite weird modification there indeed.

Finally, as for the statements of this teach, sure English (and other Languages) are ever changing, a language no longer evolving is dead. But I don't believe that means we should forego spelling and grammar altogether, as these tools of the language are used to allow different individuals to communicate. Or perhaps he basically meant a few mistakes are not a big issue, as long as they don't lead to misinterpretations?

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
Dictionaries are not the arbitrators of language, but rather the reflection of it. This is not France, afterall.

Hmm, are you alluding to our old academicians defending the "proper" and past French? Are we really the only country with such people? As for the dictionaries, ours are also reflecting the changes in the language, although these changes are only taken into accounts after a few years. I would also say French is evolving slower than English, but that's another subject.

[ September 15, 2003, 19:05: Message edited by: Alneyan ]

[Fyron]

I was talking about the laws and the official governemnt institution to maintain the purity and such of the French language, not just some stuffy academians.

[Alneyan]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
I was talking about the laws and the official governemnt institution to maintain the purity and such of the French language, not just some stuffy academians.

Oh, I gather you are speaking of the "rules" (not exactly laws, but desirable translations, yes it is quite the same) to use French "equivalents" of English words. These ones aren't commonly used and usually funny or ludicrous. But perhaps you are also refering to other oddities? I am not too interested in the strange instructions coming from the French government concerning the language myself.

[Fyron]

I forget what the agency is called... but it is in charge of maintaining the offical French language and determining what words are allowed in it and what words are not. I do not know if it is still around, but it was started in the 1600s or 1700s IIRC.