I know I have been going on about bad spelling and grammar, in fact I just recently published "Short Grammar Nazi Post". I also know it seems a bit funny coming from someone whose own typos litter these pages quite prominently. (I have argued that there is a small difference between not thinking about what you write and simple laziness preventing adequate proofreading -- or intentionally adopting poor form for effect, as some others do -- but in the end, I agree that bad form is bad form, and my typos introduce as much potential for confusion as spelling and grammar errors born of ignorance. So I can only plead guilty and admit I fail to live up to my own ideals.)  However, having written about the problem so often, I have to say there is one thing worse than simple bad spelling and grammar, and that is the half-hearted efforts made to correct spelling and grammar.

I have two examples that may illustrate this. First, while reading a review of a computer game which put players in charge of a futurist squad of soldiers, I read that one could make an easy escape by "blowing a whole in the wall". Second, more times than I care to count I have seen people write "it is you're choice".

In both cases, I have to think the choice of the longer, and less common, homophone is a change made during writing. My thought is that, while writing, the writer grew aware that there are two ways to write "your" or "hole". Seeing their writing used the shorter, more common variant, they wondered if they might not be making a mistake, and, to prevent themselves from looking foolish, they went back and used the longer, less common version. While I appreciate the sentiment, and I am glad they are at least aware that words exist in more than one form, they are still making a horrible mistake.

The answer to their dilemma is not to go from always using the simpler form to always using the more complex form, that is actually likely to lead to more errors rather than fewer, as in most cases the simpler form is simpler as it is the more common. Once you are aware there are more ways to spell a word than you previously thought, the solution is to learn what each means and use it properly. Or, if that is too much trouble, then at least, when in doubt, use an on-line dictionary, or maybe an old fashioned paper one. (As some on-line dictionaries follow the idiotic Wikipedia model, and can be wrong as often as right.)

But I will try to be optimistic. At least some of those who were once writing "CU2" or "L8R" or "your to loud" or "where you at" are starting to show signs that they are listening to the curmudgeons griping about declining standards. They may still tell us it doesn't matter, but their attempts to correct their own spelling and grammar, pathetic as they may be, at least show they are uncomfortable with their below average abilities. And maybe, in the future, that discomfort will lead at least some to finally take the time to learn the rules and start using English properly.

At least I can hope that is the case.

POSTSCRIPT

Actually, the fact that some younger individuals feel embarrassed by their poor spelling and grammar is a generally positive sign, as it reinforces my beliefs that youth generally look for the approval of their elders, whatever they may claim. And while our society still continues to venerate youth, they only fail to eventually adopt the standards of society because society adopts their standards instead. So, there is every possibility we could return to the model which worked so well for centuries, even longer, wherein youth rebelled for a time then basically returned to the fold, eventually becoming the same as their parents, with generation after generation repeating the same cycle. It would not require any tremendous change, no huge shift of philosophy, simply a decision on the part of society to stop thinking the misbehavior of the young is admirable, and instead holding the responsibility of the fully grown as the ideal.

Of course there are many parts of society where this takes place already, so it is not shocking that it can work. What surprises me is that the young who have not been raised with this model, who have grown up with at least two generations of open rebellion and worship of youth, have not yet been brainwashed into rejecting the praise of their elders, and still have an innate need for adult approval. That such a need cannot be easily extinguished gives me reason for hope, as it means even were the current sad state of affairs to persist for another generation or more, there is still hope that one day it will end.

NOTE: To see my earlier thoughts on the topic of our worship of youth and its consequences read "Frightened for our Future", "The Adoration of Youth", "I Blame the Romantics", "Revisiting an Old Topic", "The Sky Is Falling! Again! Really! We Mean It This Time!", "Tired and Annoying Theme", "IMDB Makes My Case", "A Thought On the Watchmen", "An Interesting Article", "In Defense of Standards", "Addenda to "In Defense of Standards"", "Our Rude Behavior" and "Where the Wild Things Are".

POSTSCRIPT II

On an off-topic note, I am feeling even worse today, so don't expect much output from me. If I feel better tonight I may make an effort to put out one more Bad Economics post, maybe on farm subsidies or inflation. As I am out sick from work I may even try to write something this afternoon. However, as this illness keeps lingering, and my pain seems to be flaring up at the same time, I don't think I will be able to return to my usual frenetic pace of posting, despite yesterday's promises. And tomorrow, being Halloween, looks even less promising, as my son will be taking up any free time I have. So, though you should still check back over the weekend to see if I posted, I would think that I won't get a lot of work done until Sunday at the earliest.

I apologize once more for the tepid pace of posting over the past week or so, especially as over a year of four to eight posts a day has left my readers expecting several daily articles, but I will try next week to return to something approaching my normal rate of output.