Ah but the Yanks spell defense with an s in any situation and there's no difference in the sound between defence and defense.

 

Yes they do, don't they?




^^ Imitation, the sincerest form of flattery

 

WTF!

 

As it's a question, they do, yes. :

 

What?

Genuinely. Am i wrong?

 

Explained just for you, Telboy.

Example: "Our defence is good"

If someone struggles to tell whether or not it is a 'C' or 'S' just fit in "advice" or "advise"

"Our advice is good"
"Our advise is good"

The 'S' sounds wrong so it is 'C'

 

Just for you, Spoon


Tell me how defence and defense sound different.

We all know about advice and advise. My example is an anomaly, no?

 

Are you mental?

Do practice and practise sound different?

 

No they don't

And therefore you can't apply the "sound test" to determine which word is the right one to use, that's my point. People who use advice instead of advise don't actually realise they're pronounced differently.

 

Gentlemen, we must stop this arguing amongst ourselves and unite against the 'common' enemy

 

The peoples front of Judea?

 

Splitters

 

Exactly, so substitute advice or advise to help use the correct spelling.

I actually don't believe you're getting it.

You believe that people who use advice instead of advise don't actually realise they're pronounced differently?

If that is the case then there is no hope for them in any way, shape or form. The "sound test" works great, and as my reply was aimed at someone who is able to differentiate between advice and advise, it works.

 

Yep, i genuinely believe they don't realise. Like loose and lose, to you and i it's inconceivable that somebody could think they both sound the same, but oh yes, somebody could, and somebody does, regularly.

That's the size of the hill you're trying to climb when teaching spelling.

 

Only in written form though will these errors be seen so it can't be strictly true; They must know the difference, surely?

How many people do you know or have heard [Telboy]actuually[/Telboy] saying something like " I can see my football team loosing today"?

 

Well no, nobody hears loose as lose. But that's no use if you think they're pronounced the same when written down. It just doesn't register.

 

Idleness or pure thickness?

 

That's a good question. Some people really can't get excited about words in the same way some people don't like numbers. Banking is symptomatic; people can be brilliant at trading highs and lows, analysing data and charts, yet couldn't get simple words correct if their lives depended on it. Complicated picture. Never been taught properly would cover the vast majority of it though, in my opinion.

 

I would hate to see the English language ruined by the use of Americanisms and "made up" words as seems to be coming into fashion these days.

Les

 

That might apply to the younger generation. I do think in our generation though the teaching was there and it was down to either people simply not listening or genuinely struggling to take it in. Let's face it, just turning up and sitting through a class should have been enough to learn the basics, but I know of plenty of people that failed.

Then to take it further, the same individuals might go on to hold decent employment positions, making lots of money, similar to your banking acquaintances. Personally, I can't get my head round that but it shows jobs don't necessarily require what I'd class as a basic level of personal development.

I know we are in the minority having a strong view on what is essentially a low level of education but that itself is an indication of the state of this country; Or is it, does it really matter?

 

Your all sad and need too get out allot Moore

 

I mix up everything because I'm thick.. Deal with it

On a plus note. I have corrected my ways with somethings after the helpful shunts on here..

 

Me too, but I am Welsh

 

Nothing like coming home and drinking a Sherry mixed with Bacardi,and seeing what's going on in scoobynet land....

 

Dispatch and despatch catch a lot of people out.

Wrote the copy for an Oxford College website; that needed fairly careful writing.

We're currently copy writing a Cambridge College one.

 

Less and less, with each passing year. "The new normal" as it's often called. To me it's a bit like losing the pleasure of playing vinyl records on a good record deck. Sure, mp3 is quick, convenient and does the job. Does it really convey the passion though? No. But haste and convenience in today's world will, for most people, win through.

 

That is an extremely good analogy backed up by the fact I still play vinyl on a decent turntable

 

Haste and convenience are, in my mind, given as poor excuses to mask their inability to spell and use grammar at a basic level.

 

Along with "dyslexia"...

 

Indeed.