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Spell Check Feature Request
Spell check is an amazingly powerful tool, going back to Office 97 where words started becoming auto-corrected and questionable words were underlined for easy editing.
However, one feature that I'd really like to see that doesn't exist today is a commonly misspelled feature that highlights words that are spelled correctly but are simply the wrong terms contextually.
A few common examples include:
- its vs. it's
- they're, there, and their
- lose vs loose
I think spell check programs should build in rules to highlight common problem words like the ones above, then let people turn off the feature once they're confident that they understand the rules behind when to use which.
Beyond that, detecting which term is appropriate based on the sentence the term appears within would really make my day.
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2. Posted by: Michael K on February 6, 2007 2:08 PM:
Oh sure, why not just completely technologize me outta a job!
-Michael the Editor
3. Posted by: Brendon Swanson on February 8, 2007 3:33 PM:
I have to strongly disagree with all automated editing beyond spelling. I understand spell check because it's so easy to mis-type. Though, anything further (not farther) is absurd. Every time we ad more automated language features in technology, we're diminishing the importance of standard education. I say this from experience, my wife teaches high school English. The problem is that we're enabling people to continue to function uneducated. As an educated person, I don't appreciate this. Also, for those who believe in Darwinism (I do not), we're eliminating factors which control the gene pool and natural selection. But, most importantly, we're removing accountability and the rest of us will pay for this outside of the Internet.
4. Posted by: Ed Kohler on February 8, 2007 6:07 PM:
Brendon, assuming you're being serious, I'll have to strongly disagree right back at you. I'm much more interested in a great idea than great grammar, and if tools exist that improve people's ability to communicate great ideas, regardless of their spelling or grammar skills, the world will be a better place.
I also don't believe there is much of a correlation between family size and grammar skills.
Abjørn, thanks for the tip. I don't think that alone will sell me on Office 2007, but maybe Google will get around to adding that feature to Docs?
Michael, sorry about lobbying to put you out of a job. I'll buy you a beer when you're downsized.
5. Posted by: Knowledge Timberland on February 13, 2007 11:46 PM:
Agree with Swanson.
6. Posted by: Lucian Socolov on February 14, 2007 10:36 AM:
I have to agree with Brendon Swanson. The problem with education grows as we speak (or type). I am and will be pro computers but I still do not understand people's desire to prove that computers are at least as good as humans.
Old dilemma - us vs. technology, will we become obsolete?
The lack of education is a direct result of automation (spell checking, etc.). I believe we are going to become stupid, not obsolete.
7. Posted by: Jeff Deitch on February 15, 2007 4:20 PM:
I suppose if we all become stupid, then we won't need to worry about technology advancing as none of us will be smart enough to advance it any further. The fact that technology continues to advance is evidence that as a whole we are becoming more intelligent.
Personally, I think automated grammar checking would aid in my learning. If my computer were to alert me each time I used further when I meant farther, I believe that over time I would learn the appropriate uses of each. My spelling seems to have improved as a result of automated spell checking as I now correctly spell many words that I used to misspell consistently. I attribute this to getting immediate feedback when I misspell a word, and I think the same effect would occur with more advanced grammar checking.
8. Posted by: Jas on March 24, 2007 6:44 PM:
The spelling rules were developed as a result of locking a message in writing. For several hundred years, people have had to adapt themselves to this 'technology'. It's about time the technology adapts itself to people. (after Mitton, 1996, "English spelling and the computer")
9. Posted by: nesa on December 19, 2007 10:43 AM:
I am looking for a stand alone spellcheck device that my learning disabled son can take into tests. He uses a laptop for all homework receiving excellent grades. He fails any test requiring even simple written answers.
Is there a spellcheck "calculator" or any dedicated device that uses or is similar to the apple spellcheck on his laptop.
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1. Posted by: Abjørn on February 6, 2007 11:02 AM:
Then you should check out Word 2007. It has contextual spell checking.