Posted By Michael Nixon I am appalled at the number of spelling errors in the various messages on different forums. Should IOSH have a spell check on this facility? I know I am not the best of spellers but at least I try to be reasonably correct. It is not the message being shortened like TXT MSGS but rather respondents not checking their messages e.g. New Carrer Path 29/04/04, Suitable Trainning Course 25/03/04 as two examples in the main title, never mind what is in the body of the messages. If I was a potential employer these message writers would be ignored – or is this me being a fusspot? Sorry cannot highlight or underline these obvious errors.

Posted By Paul Leadbetter Michael I, too, am concerned about some of the spelling on these forums. However, in print, it is not possible to tell the difference between the careless and the dyslexic. Dyslexia is no bar to progress in any field (nor should it be) but carelessness costs lives (or could). Paul

Posted By Peter Lee As someone who posts on a couple of forums, I have to confess my spelling mistakes are usuaully whilst typing at speed rather than being illiterate. As someone previously said its the content that matters, its getting more and more like countdown everyday. Vowel please Carol.

Posted By Michael Nixon Thanks to all for the rapid responses Yes I understand dyslexia causes problems but the % of people with this affliction does not match the % of errors on screen. Preparing the message offline as suggested in the guidelines would help but I do not think many are aware of this suggestion. Grammar can be problematical and again I am anything but perfect. It would have to be very poor to make me take notice. If you type at speed then you should spend more time checking the results and making corrections even if the typeface is small. Look forward to further comments.

Posted By John Allen While I freely admit that I make spelling and grammatical errors in E mails these are generally sent to individuals who know me and will tolerate the odd mistake without loss of meaning. I also admit to being not the best speller in the world and why marker pens and flipcharts don’t have spell checkers has always puzzled me. But if I make a posting on a website which is in the public domain and read by thousands I have a responsibility to make my meaning clear. Indeed it is because some of the readers of this site are not native English speakers/writers that we have a duty to ensure reasonable standards of spelling and grammar. Unless it is a one-liner I always compose off line and cut and paste the message. The grammar checker in Word is not perfect but it and the spell checker will highlight the obvious mistakes. It takes about half a second longer to do it this way than to compose on line. I regard it as a lack of courtesy to the users of this forum not to do so. “What is written without effort is usually read without interest” (Johnson)

Posted By Geoff Burt I take your point John - but could you give me an example on this forum where a spelling mistake has meant the message was not clear or self evident?

Posted By Rod Douglas Michael, "You have me banged to rights", "its a fair Cop Governor", it was I who committed the "Cardinal Sin" of the incorrect spelling of the title of my thread "New Career Path" 29/04/04 or "New Carrer Path" as I put it, there is no excuse I actually posted the thread on The Career Forum where I could have easily have copied CAREER letter for letter and got it right first time, as it is there in black and white or is it blue????. It is attention to detail and for that I have no excuse and to that end I am very bad person and I apologise most sincerely to all the people who post their comments on the IOSH web site. Now Michael do yourself a favour and get a life!!!!! You need to get out more and gain some interpersonal skills, sometimes it is better to speak to people face to face and not on the internet. I will now be taken from my place of work to Tower Hill where I shall be executed from my Sins... Goodbye, from a "Sarcastic Dyslexic" Aye, Rod D

Posted By Paul Costelloe I agree with Michael about the poor spelling and grammar being demonstrated by contributors to this forum. It's a forum for 'professionals' after all - and I for one would ignore prospective employees whose grasp of basic grammar is so poor. Geoff - what's wrong with the example cited by John of the spelling of Dubai (mis-spelt as Dubia) this was not a slip of the fingers - it was repeated FOUR TIMES in the same posting. I then had numerous e-mails from a respondee who couldn't see the 4 mistakes - only 3 ! It might seem trivial but it is a sign of underlying inattention to detail, and, I would go as far as to say INCOMPETENCE on the part of some other, worse offenders than this, since part of the safety practitioners role is to make convincing (written) arguments in the form of reports etc. They therefore need to be CREDIBLE not INCREDIBLE. Keep up the crusade Michael - I'm with you all the way !

Posted By Richard Spencer People, People, People come on: if someone makes a mistake in attempting to make a point so what? Not ever one who contributes to this chat page studied English language and literature at school or studies language in a classical University education e.g. the classics. I do agree however, that many of the errors are as a result of carelessness and this is another issue entirely. If members who contribute hail from a classical English education then they would be dismayed at so many errors. If one comes from the sciences then errors are a percentile of any view tending to support or not support a premise. If the critics of misspelling were to step into the realm of science they would see things in a totally different light. I do agree that at a professional level in contributing to a public forum, care should be taken in ‘getting the data right’. That includes the use of the English language. Of course the point was made that contributors may not have English as the first language. That being the case, criticism may indeed cause offence. I suggest that before placing an entry on the chat page type it up in Word and put the Spellchecker on it. Then, cut and paste it into the chat page. By using science and technology a synergy is created between classical purists and the science based thinkers among us. The Yanks have an expression: Turning a ‘win/loose into a win/win situation.’ Richard

Posted By John Webster Sorry, should have used a format checker!! Eye halve a spelling chequer It came with my pea sea It plainly marques four my revue Miss steaks eye kin Knot Sea Eye strikes a key and type a word And weight four it too say Weather eye is wrong oar write It shows me strait a weigh As soon as a mist ache is maid It nose bee fore two long And eye can put the error rite It's rare lea ever wrong. Eye has run this poem threw it I am shore your pleased two no Its letter perfect awl the weigh My chequer tolled me sew.

Posted By Victor Meldrew Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deson’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tigng is taht the frist and lsat ltteers are in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by istlef but the wrod as a wlohe. The hdesart tnihg is tpiying it!

Posted By John Johnston Sorry Mike, I did not intend to upset anybody. I did not say that anybody cared any less than myself about those events, and I certainly did not say I disagree/agree with any comments on this thread, nor did I say there has not been a smile on my face at some of the light hearted comments made. My opinion is simply that it is a bit out of hand, no more, no less. I also do not care what spelling mistakes people make for whatever reason to them, but I for one do care when I apply for a job or when spelling is a must. You are correct, I will stay away from this thread and not get involved in a flame war for people who would like to 'shut me up' because I said something they don't like. I am shocked at this thread, that I will stand by. Some people who are not professionals or as well read as some, would be put off by the feeling this thread has created. Maybe a forum moderator on the forums could have stopped a 'flame war' before it started. Best regards, John

Posted By Richard Spencer By the very nature of society there are those that lead and those that must follow. Those that lead make salient comment and take the issue at hand seriously whilst those that follow can only wonder in awe, the very nature of the point. To value the language of our forefathers is indeed a goal, to teach others is in itself a privilege, to lead by example is positively divine. The light of modern society has led the quest to discover and take mankind into the future. Education led the masses from darkness into light and let it always remain so. When our generation is dead and gone, who will remember us or our contribution to this earthly existence? History teaches us through the written word and I subscribe to the belief that if you reach professional life and still can’t string two words together you are in serious trouble. To excuse a poorly worded document because you were in a rush is not a standard I would aspire to at anytime and does not demonstrate leadership by example. Richard

Posted By Hilary Charlton I regard myself as having a very good command of English and my spelling is excellent - I also keep a dictionary and a thesaurus on my desk just in case. However, notwithstanding this, I make mistakes - who doesn't? I would therefore, be reluctant to admonish anyone for any typographical or spelling error as this would be a case of 'the pot calling the kettle black'. I receive documentation from our American parent Company all the time which, to my mind, is misspelt - in equal measure, everything I send back to them is equally badly spelt simply because we speak the same language and we spell the words differently. Is this a problem? No, of course not because we are adults and have learnt to accept these differences and move on. At the end of the day, most health and safety people are overworked and underpaid and are trying their best to help out both their work colleagues and their forum colleagues and don't need to be berated for it. The most important part of a thread is the content, not the spelling or the English. If we are discussing "perfect" English then the use of "you" should be retained for speaking of a definite person and the term "one" should be used when referring to any person who represents people in general. If one is going to be rude about spelling and English then one should make very sure that they are absolutely perfect in every way possible.

Posted By Robert K Lewis Just to put this to bed - We are living in a post modern world where the reader is able to make whatever interprtation of the writers words that they wish. The word once written is out of the authors control. The same must also go for the marks upon the page. The author has a right to scribe as she/he wishes and cannot be criticised for how they are made. They are an expression of an inner intent and should therefore be worthy of our respect even if we choose to interpret them in a way not anticipated by the author. In other words if sense can be made by the reader then the writter has achieved the goal of all writers.

Posted By Bill Fisher Rod (and others) The Moderators have a meeting coming up in the next month or so. Whilst I don't know if it is technically possible on this Site, I will raise yours (and others) suggestion for a spellchecker. That said I am sure Angela (Website Co-ordinator) has already seen this Thread and will be making enquiries Regards Bill (Moderator)

Posted By Alec Wood Out of interest, did any of those members of this Queen's English Preservation Society read the Victor Meldrew posting above or just skip over it dismissing it out of hand? I too believe that spelling is important, but not more important than the content of the message. That posting very much surprised me in that I really was able to read it without any difficulty. I think what often irks one about the Countdown fanatics amongst us is when one asks a question for which an answer is urgently needed and the reply offers no assistance nor guidance whatsoever. It wouldn't be so bad if they answered the question as well, but invariably they contribute nothing to the discussion other than the inflation of their already disproportionate egos and feelings of smug superiority at someone else's expense. I think most people would rather have a misspelled answer than none at all. A spell checker would be a great asset to the forum, if only to rid it of such pettiness. Alec Wood Samsung Electronics

Posted By Geoff Burt Frank Spencer You said: 'Geoff seems comfortable to portray himself as Grammatical Anarchist'. As I have no idea what that sentence means should I take it as a compliment? Factually - I can't think of an occasion when I have mentioned the word 'grammar', except to say she is getting on a bit now. How's Betty? Geoff

Posted By Richard Spencer My last word: Geoff Thank you for your comments, in answer I say this: Your sojourn into comedy can only be measured by your success at intellectual comment. In respect to misrepresenting me as Frank Spencer, I say this, ‘at least he was funny.’ If you can’t comprehend the commentary that I have provided in respect to this thread topic then I suggest you join the ‘study support forum’ rather than continue to ‘gain say’ my posting. This has not done you credit serving only to revealed an inarticulate attempt at repartee. You mentioned you were in tankers in the ‘Dubia thread’, and in another a ‘teacher’ and again a ‘consultant’. If this be factually correct I say this, your search for wisdom is as yet, incomplete. Don’t give up your day job. Richard PS Salient and well constructed counter arguments are welcome. Vain attempts at sarcasm, even thought you might believe you are accomplished in its delivery, are not.