Academic casts a spell

It makes a great news story: the university tutor who has collected and published examples of poor spelling and illiteracy from his students.

The problem is that good spelling is more a sign of experience than of intelligence given the notorious irregularity of written English. While I agree that good written communication skills should be expected of all graduates - and are essential for PR graduates - it helps to admit to our own howlers. Here are some of mine:

• I circulated a questionnaire among staff when at school as research for a magazine article. Many gleefully corrected my use of 'favor' in place of the conventional UK spelling.
• When I worked as a typesetter, I produced a menu for a local pub. They came back months later to ask me to insert a second s in 'lemon mouse'.
• As a PR consultant, I pitched my plans for a product launch to a very large client. Problem was, the slide said it was a 'press lunch'. Hard to justify the expense.
• My wife - who now writes for a living - once completed a graduate job application for the role of a university Accommodation Officer. She spelt accommodation wrong throughout (easily done) - and failed to be shortlisted.
• In recent years, I misnamed a local university in a presentation to colleagues. There's a second s in Teesside. Odd, but true.

Comments

[Stephen Davies]

My latest blog post title is: "Facebook security flaw found."

Didn't always say that though. "Facebook security floor found" was the first attempt.

Not that I didn't know the difference between flaw and floor. I just had a "Doh!" moment.

[Heather Yaxley]

The idea of a lemon mouse will keep me smiling all day - thanks.

Of course, the greatest fear working in public relations is omitting that first l. Haven't we all done it? Worth setting the autotext to correct it automatically.

[chris marritt]

Neither of these are admissions, as such, but both are funny.
From my hacking days, a story once went out on the wires under my name with the following intro:
"A woman today told of how she woke up in enormous paint..." (I blame copy-takers.)
A colleague at a similar time had a story about illiteracy go out with "literasy" in the intro.(He blamed subs.)

[Sherrilynne]

I once wrote a newsletter story on pubic relations. Never noticed until it was published.

[Philip]

I invariably write that my head is attached to the flabby bit below by a kneck...