Tag Archives: Grammar

Do I Have to Spell it Out for You?

31 Aug
Misspelling

Where is the “Cutomer” Service Desk?

While many people, especially those forty and under say, “Why do I need to know how to spell? I got spell check and auto correct,” I am trying to come up with ways to get students under my “spell” stressing the importance of not only spelling correctly but proofreading for often confused words and grammar issues as I prepare for the fall 2013 semester. It really can impact one’s ability to communicate clearly and effectively.

Of coarse, sum people take it fir granite that spell check will catch there miss stakes. Than they submit there resumes wit misspellings and wander why they don’t be gettin called in for intervues. They might be gud at wat dey do and have a grate work ethic, but the resume screener ain’t gonna get past the spelling issues cuz ain’t nobody got time fa that!

Even if you get the job u mite confuse costumers with ur mis spellings, text language and confused wurds like dis photo of da advertised posting i snapped looking to hire people at the local supermarket. We all know that auto core (this was supposed to say’ “auto correct,”but that is what auto correct came up with ;-)) don’t be always sayin wat we wanna say, so why not proofread? or is it that people be bein lazie and say, “u no wat i mean!”

Is spelling correct a dying art along with grammer, mechanics and basic proofreading as moor and more people simply except misspellings as da nu standard? Admittedly, I think its cool to use slang and text language cuz it is a language in and of itself, but the ability to cold switch, composing documents free of misspellings, grammar an mechanical errors for professional purposes or even to git ya point a cross clearly, is essential.

i refuse to believe that i am a loan wit dis concern and dat standard english and spelling words correctly will one day be considered archaic and that I will than be come a english historian providing in cite on wat once wuz. u kno wat i mean?

Best,

Tanya

PS. I hope you noticed the plethora of misspellings and grammer issues in dis post. Wich ones did u spot? Were there times wen u paused to figure out wat i meant cuz of the misspellings?  Du i got u under my spell?

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Profound Hip Hop Quote: Week #7

19 Feb

“You need git up, git out and git somethin’
How will you make it if you never even try
You need to git up, git out and git somethin’
Cuz you and I got to do for you and I”

—OutKast, “Git Up, Git Out”

How often do you complain or hear others complain about their job, lack of job, family life, social life or just life in general?  How many of these very same people, possibly including you, are doing “nothing” about it?

This classic rap song from OutKast’s debut album “Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik” states what must be done emphatically.  One of the reasons I still love this song so much is that both “André 3000” Benjamin and Antwan “Big Boi” Patton still live by it approximately 17 years from its release.  They have branched out into television, movies, cartoons at one point, fashion and even ballet.  Apparently, they made sure to “git up, git out” and do more than a little “somethin.”

Besides the smooth mellow beat, I still find myself singing along with this catchy chorus with the “in your face” meaning. Where are you in your life?  Where do you want to be?  What are “you” doing to get there? Yes, these past few years have been difficult for most during the recession, but there are so many lessons to be learned and opportunities of which to take advantage.  “How will you make it if you never even try?”

I love where I presently am today, and I am partly where I am because I did “something” to achieve my goals, and the other reason is because God was on my side as I sought out those goals.  Interestingly though, I’ve learned that whenever I ascertain that “something” for which I’m reaching, there’s always some bigger and better goal waiting out there for me.  We all have days when we wish our life circumstances were better, but we mustn’t  wallow in self-pity, be envious or covet what others have.  We “need to git up, git out and git somethin’.  Cuz you and I got to do for you and I.”  We’re all in this journey together.

Please feel free to share your thoughts

~Anonomz aka Tanya Harris

Bonus English Lesson:
OutKast’s name alone is a perfect English lesson because the correct spelling is Outcast.  These guys have fun with the English language by modifying the spelling of words and even changing the syntax of words with the title of this album “Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik.”  Actually, this is a common technique amongst some poets: e.e. cummings is one of the most famous to use this technique.  Also, OuKast embraces a southern slang vernacular in most of their songs since they are from Atlanta.  Instead of get, OuKast uses git, and instead of something, they use somethin’.

Furthermore, within the last line, there is not only a colloquialism with modified spelling but an object pronoun error which might have been deliberately done for the purpose of rhyming and to have the proper meter in the line.  Instead of “Cuz you and I got to do for you and I,” it should be “Because you and I have to do for you and me.”  Keep in mind that many rappers who are well-versed and considered lyricists tend to familiarize themselves with the standard grammar rules prior to breaking the rules in their lyrics.

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