James E. Henderson wrote:
DJA wrote:
James E. Henderson wrote:
Lan Barnes wrote:
Now ask me why M$ spell checkers have destroyed good diction.
Only witches and wizards need *spell checkers*; the rest of us use
*spell/ing/ checkers.
Fair enough. Although this might qualify as a colloquial spelling.
*And it should be "how", not "why": how have Microsoft spelling
checkers destroyed good diction?
So you're saying Lan doesn't know what question he is actually asking?
Using 'why' creates unanswerable questions dealing with motives and
meaning; 'how' leads to questions of mechanics and results in questions
that lead to meaningful answers. It isn't just Lan; most people are
unconscious of the difference in approach between 'why' and 'how' and
how 'why' leads to uncritical thinking.
I know that. That was my point. Nevertheless, you seemed to be second
guessing Lan's question. Presumedly, he knows whether he wants to know
why rather than how. I'm giving him at least the benefit of the the
doubt (of which I have none).
In any case, it should be "Why (or How - two different questions)
have M$ (Lan's conscious spelling) spelling checkers destroyed good
diction".
Once we have determined in what manner (and to what degree) M$ have,...
Oops, properly, that should be M$ _has_. Microsoft is a corporation, a
singular entity, not a group.
...with their spelling checkers, ...
"...with its spelling checkers..."
...disrupted good diction (whatever that is),
we can question whether it is only M$ software at fault or if the
Here you switched to the correct form.
problem results from the use of any spelling checker and, if we can show
that M$ is the problem, we can begin to examine their motivations.
Now back the other way...
We can also examine whether the problem results from failure to include
sufficient material or whether incorrect information has been introduced.
Yes, they are two different questions, one fuzzy and one concrete.
Well, that was fun. ;)
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Best Regards,
~DJA.
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