Ever since I started post graduate education in the fall of 99, I have kept two books beside the computer as I have composed my written assignments. These two books are a Bible and a dictionary. I have used the dictionary more often as a reference tool than my Bible. Though, I do not read the dictionary for spiritual insight. But I am a notoriously bad speller. The reason you may not see any gross misspellings in this essay is that I am relying on my spell checker embedded in my word processor. Even though I may not misspell a word, the computer does not recognize incorrect word usage or mangled syntax. Word usage can only be properly be understood by judicious use of a dictionary. Even with the advantage of having a spell checker, I depend on the dictionary for help when I am creative in my choice of vocabulary words. The real trick in clear concise writing, is word usage which offers a minimum of obfuscation caused by the use of an arcane vocabulary. A dictionary can help in clearly defining the word that can best be used to clearly express my thoughts. The bigger the dictionary the better. But I do not yet have a complete set of the Oxford Dictionary of the English Language. The best I can do is a Webster's Unabridged Dictionary. But the real quandary in my using a dictionary to check spelling is trying to find a word that I do not know how to spell; especially when my spell checker comes up dry. I usually peruse the dictionary using all the spelling combinations I can think of until I finally stumble over the word I am looking for. While doing this search I usually find all sorts of other vocabulary words I can creatively use elsewhere in my writing. Needless to say, this increases the amount of time it takes for me to get a writing assignment completed. But at least I am entertained while so doing it.
RKL
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Comments: 12
I'm a fairly good speller but I make a lot of typos and rely on spell check for those. Too bad thta doesn't work on commetns at Gahter.
Loved this line the best, "But the real quandary in my using a dictionary to check spelling is trying to find a word that I do not know how to spell."
RKL
Maybe I'm just missing something.