I used to read lists of words when I was growing up (I swear it was for training only). Now I just scramble my fingers over the keyboard and hope I get close enough in my spelling that the computer will know what I mean to say.
It's very nice of technology, specifically Microsoft Word and whatever corrects my e-mails, to help me perfect my spelling, but don't they realize they are slowly eradicating the need for anyone to know how to spell? Besides the select handful of kids who compete in the National Spelling Bee, are kids learning how to spell anymore?
Our spelling quiz brought me pack to the old days of spelling packet assignments every week and tests on Fridays. Those days of spelling seem so long ago, however.
Technology has gone beyond helping us out with spelling and has been so bold as to venture into the world of grammar. I don't hold the grammar checker on Word to be too credible. In fact, when it comes to comma and semicolon use, I feel it gets just as confused as I.
How far will this technology go? Surely it will improve as time progresses, but could it ever get to the point where there won't be a need for editors? Now, a machine (hopefully) will never be able to determine what is newsworthy, write a powerful headline, or organize a lead to draw the reader in, but how long will it be before technology can start taking over copy desk positions?
I don't know how I'd feel about robots taking over the newsroom. If they controlled the news, they'd surely take over the world next. Life will be hard enough with newsrooms shrinking, I'd hate to throw robots into the mix, too.
2 comments:
I agree that people are letting spell check (is it one word, or two? Spell check, or spellcheck, just spell checked itself!) take over, and are getting too reliant upon technology to improve grammar. When people stop learning how to spell, then they make simple spelling errors. This may not seem like a big deal, but what if you had to write a business memo on a program that didn't have a spell check feature? Or what if you have to quickly scribble a note to your boss, and you misspell an easy word? It makes you look like an idiot, despite the fact that you may be an extremely intelligent person. As a boss, are you ever going to want to promote someone who doesn't know how to spell basic words? I know I wouldn't.
Spell check has basically ruined me. I am so helpless when it comes to spelling, thanks to spell check coddling me since the third grade. I'm almost embarrassed to read my school notes because I know I've misspelled so many words. Luckily, grammar check is worthless, so I ignore every green squiggly line I see. If it was any good, I probably couldn't even be a journalism student now. I would have failed every quiz in this class.
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