[OT] command of English by non-native speakers

[Edward Craig]

On Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 2:44 AM, Nils Kassube <kassube at gmx.net> wrote:
> Christopher Chan wrote:
>> Where? Where? We have way longer school hours and zero grammar being
>> taught as far as I can tell. Even spelling is a bit of a joke with
>>  spell checkers being available on computers.
>
> Spell checkers are useless, IMHO. Your properly write that spell
> checkered are avail of computer. But the previous sentence passed the
> spell checker even though it doesn't make sense. In the days of Windows
> 3.11 and Word 6 there was a grammar checker. That was quite nice because
> it complained about my Germish sentences. Give me a grammar checker and
> I would use it. But without it I prefer to proofread what I wrote. The
> result isn't perfect but at least it usually makes sense.
>
>
Those of us with dyslexia bless spell checkers. I can read my proofs
repeatedly without catching the occasional letter re-sequence. Odd how
that works, though, short (6 or fewer letter) words are
unintelligible, but a nice long word I'll flummox quite nicely and not
see, repeatedly. Spell checker picks it up, though.
I guess my grammar is OK, though. Never noticed grammar checking
before I freaked at the idea of malware and installed BSD and SuSE
(likely then still S.u.S.E.) and Debian and eventually relaxed with
Ubuntu.

-- 
Edward P. Craig
"Think this through with me. Let me know your mind"      Hunter/Garcia