Date:  Fri, 12 Jan 1996 15:53:58 +0000

From:  "C.M.Thomas" <EGP95CMT[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]SHEFFIELD.AC.UK>

Subject: Re: Commonly misspelled words?



> As we have WOTYs, perhaps we should also have Commonly Misspelled Words (Comiswords?)

> I have just been asked to supply to someone on campus a list of commonly

> misspelled words> I have provided it's for its, their for there and there for

> their. Can you assist?

>

> (I have not taught English 101 recently.)

>

> This is needed within 2 hours.

>

> Thanks,

> Bethany





There are numerous words which I frequently find to be misspelled. I

have noticed this in official publications as well as more casual

writings too, which is surprising. Among these are:

colour

centre

organize

rumour

armour

realize



There seems to be an interesting tendency for Americans to make these

misspellings. Maybe Americans are just generally bad spellers. It may

be genetic. Had anybody got any other possible suggestions for why

this might be?



Charlotte Thomas

Snail mail:

CECTAL

Department of English Language and Linguistics

University of Sheffield

Sheffield

UK



email:

EGP95CMT[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]Sheffield.ac.uk