Dear Taddeo,
Thanks for the story. Not only did I succeed reading it, but also understanding its
meaning. This was possible because I am proficient in English. Therefore, we can
conclude that by knowing a language, you can understand its words, even when they are
misspelt.
A word is misspelt when its letters are not written in a correct order. The order of letters
is determined by the linguistic nature of the language in question. Take an example of the
word ‘speak’ in English. By adding the ending ‘– er’ to it (speak + er), you get a new
word ‘speaker’. This process, therefore, dictates that you do not spell it in any other form
other than ‘speaker’. This shows that words are spelt in the way they are formed
linguistically. The linguistic formation may differ from one language to another.
Based on the above, if I misspell the word ‘speaker’, and write it as ‘spkrea’, I will have
violated its intrinsic (linguistic) form, my understanding of its meaning (in context)
notwithstanding. Once this basic rule is violated, other things set in, e.g.
misrepresentation and abuse of the language, and failure to read the word correctly.
Ordinarily, the correct spelling of words preserves their elegance, and this facilitates the
brain to work out their meanings quite efficiently. Misspelt forms irritate the brain. Even
if it were in Physics, a poorly written equation would have negative consequences,
because you labour to interpret it. Take the following example in (a) and (b):
(a)
F = G m1 m 2
_______________
d2
where F = gravitational force, G = gravitational constant, m1 and m2 = mass of two
particles, d = distance between the two particles.
Source: OSSD (2008).
If one were to spell the equation in (a) as indicated below in (b), it would lose its
elegance, much as the brain might work it out from the usual knowledge of the sequence
in (a). This is because it is inconsistent with the conventional sequence. A spelling
system, of course, must be standard.
(b)
F = d2 G m1
_______________
m2
Therefore, whenever there is a standard spelling system, everyone is expected to conform
to it, until when it undergoes a conventional reform. Correct spellings (which also include
good use of punctuation marks or sequencing of numbers) portray the picture that one is
not a careless writer. Colleagues, as we begin a new year, let us consider effective
language communication as a serious tool in our profession. We should also strongly
encourage our students to follow the standard spelling forms and style.