Hello everyone:

Oh, my, some of the wording I have seen in my time as a college professor! Where is spell check when you need it? Or, should I say, were is spiel chex when you kneed it?

Yes, I have seen many things in my time. The old book “Strictly Speaking: Will America be the Death of English?” was one of my favorites as a child, so I suppose there’s not accounting for taste, but, really?

Do we really have college graduates-to-be who will be leaving their college campuses thinking that they right well when they don’t no the difference between were and where, are and our, and their and there? (I left out thee quotation markers on prepose so that you wouldn’t be detracted buy there presents.)

In addition to these wonderful words, my all-thyme favorite was the student who, as a senior in college, thorough ewe should sign a letter “respectively” instead of “respectfully.”

Of course, often times students use a perfectly good word but they don’t put a word together that belongs together, such as “oftentimes.” Another favorite is the word “non-verbal” (aka “non verbal”),” which appears correctly with no hyphen and as one word. You’d think they’d read the headings in the textbook and see that it is spelled “nonverbal.” Even Siri knows how to spell it, and with a British accent, to boot.

So, here I am, at the beginning of a weekend of grading. I wonder what my students will come up with next to make my day and entertain yours. I guess ewe never no.

Best,

Dr. Sheri