Grammar checker rant

[allmywires]

You can also add character and place names to you dictionary so it doesn't underline them...

I think I do that so much that it's started deleting them, and just red lines them anyway!

 

[Glitch]

Yeah, if you go to the grammar options there's all sorts of things for styles and what have you. I don't know what the 'policewoman' thing would fall under, otherwise I'd switch it off.

That would be the one labelled "Gender-specific words"


Edit
Here's a link which explains what each option is for

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/w...-writing-style-options-HP010354284.aspx?CTT=1

 

[Mouse]

That would be the one labelled "Gender-specific words"

You know, I could not see that for looking. Found it now, and switched it off. Sorted.

 

[The Ace]

You should be able to switch it to use a English (UK) dictionary somewhere in the grammar/spelling settings. That was something I did the first moment I installed Word.

Oh I did, it didn't like it, though. I've virtually to set the language every time I open a document because it refuses to recognise my native language.

I know the grammar check is worse than useless, like the, 'Search,' function on this forum, I never use either.

 

[chrispenycate]

Well, I lobotomised mine; it was convinced I should be writing in French, anyway. Plus it not approving of some of my less-than-conventional vocabulary.

But I keep a spellcheck on this site, against typos; I'm not a good typist, and I don't always scan the posts as carefully as perhaps I should.

 

[Jammill Khursheed]

Don't get me started on spell/grammar checkers... They all try to racistly romanise my name as if I'm allowed to have Arabic ones... At least I can use what it suggests as my porn name now... Well... After the extension surgery and EXTENSIVE lipo anyways


Jamie Cherished
(at least according that god damm racist paperclip it is)

 

[Warren_Paul]

Oh I did, it didn't like it, though. I've virtually to set the language every time I open a document because it refuses to recognise my native language.

I know the grammar check is worse than useless, like the, 'Search,' function on this forum, I never use either.

I'd suspect that your windows install might be set to English (US)? So it sets that as the default for each document.

In Control Panel there should be an option called "Region and Language". The "Format" tab should have an option to select the language at the top. Set it to English (UK) and it should default to that every time - should. Names of menus/settings might be different if you're not using Win 7.

Also, if that isn't enough. In popular under options there is the language button, where you will find enabled editing languages. If the only one listed there is English (UK), and the primary editing language is set to English (UK) then it shouldn't have any choice but to use English (UK). Essentially you're telling it the only dictionary installed is English (UK).

But yeah, the grammar wizard is useless for most cases - although sometimes it does get things right. I mainly use the spelling wizard for catching typos.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Don't get me started on spell/grammar checkers... They all try to racistly romanise my name as if I'm allowed to have Arabic ones... At least I can use what it suggests as my porn name now... Well... After the extension surgery and EXTENSIVE lipo anyways


Jamie Cherished
(at least according that god damm racist paperclip it is)[/QUOTE

See, now I will always think of you that way... I do sympathise, I have an arabic sounding surname, even though it isn't (alledgedly, not that I mind either way...), and the suggestions for it are pretty funny...

 

[David Evil Overlord]

I saw a fantastic satire of that paperclip on the internet a few years ago. Someone had changed the speech balloon, so the paperclip said:

"Hi. It looks like you're writing a letter. Do you want me to A) F*** it up for you? or B) F*** off and let you get it right?

 

[Jammill Khursheed]

Its okay Springs, I get my revenge on Clippit...

In another one of my aborted novels (a comedy one I might add) A war-like cult of computer help-desk workers actually built a cyborg version of it and used it to lead them during their war as a god-like figure... Clippit then gets locked up for decades after they loose, and ends up as the side-kick to the world's shittest cyborg (his nipples are replaced with USB ports and it makes him feel emasculated) trying to stop telepathic prawns taking over the world...

He dies a violent death eventually, and EVERYBODY in the story hates him and hits him in a slapstick manner...

I almost regret I was forced to stop writing that novel, Microsoft AND Mr Kippling threatened to sue me if I continued


Jammill

 

[Vertigo]

I'm glad others have come across the -self one, I was beginning to think I had it wrong!

I am very happy to simply ignore the checker if I decide I'm right, but it never does any harm to be questioned and then check I do actually have it right. Consequently I do leave it on and it does pick up stupid mistakes for me .

The one thing I wish is that I could get the "ignore" feature to work permanently. By that I mean keep ignoring that particular phrase/sentence rather than telling me about it again next time I open the document.

 

[Warren_Paul]

I'm glad others have come across the -self one, I was beginning to think I had it wrong!

Word has never liked -self in my writing, and yes, ignore never seems to be permanent; it only ignores it for that session, or until you change the sentence slightly, or the sentence after/before it. You have to ignore the rule completely for it to be permanent, but then it's ignoring more than what you want it to.

 

[David Evil Overlord]

I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but...

My young super hero was worried about what would happen if her teacher searched her schoolbag and found her spandex super suit. She thinks:

No way could I have lied my way out of that.

According to Word, she should be thinking:

No way could I have laid my way out of that.

Honestly, Microsoft, what were you thinking? She's not that kind of girl!

 

[AnyaKimlin]

I switched off my grammar checker when it informed me I was being sexist for using policewoman and lady (Lady White-Bay is a countess). In the same chapter my character leaned with his back against a wall: apparently that is a cliche.

Although I am liking DEO's alternative sentence. Along with my son's Eat my destiny it needs a story.

 

[Glitch]

In the same chapter my character leaned with his back against a wall: apparently that is a cliche.

You found a cliche As much as I tried I couldn't trigger it.

 

[The Ace]

I'd suspect that your windows install might be set to English (US)? So it sets that as the default for each document.

In Control Panel there should be an option called "Region and Language". The "Format" tab should have an option to select the language at the top. Set it to English (UK) and it should default to that every time - should. Names of menus/settings might be different if you're not using Win 7.

Also, if that isn't enough. In popular under options there is the language button, where you will find enabled editing languages. If the only one listed there is English (UK), and the primary editing language is set to English (UK) then it shouldn't have any choice but to use English (UK). Essentially you're telling it the only dictionary installed is English (UK).

But yeah, the grammar wizard is useless for most cases - although sometimes it does get things right. I mainly use the spelling wizard for catching typos.

You're talking to a computer tech here - I've seen what happens when people set their time zones to ,'Perth,' (the other one- instead of GMT) too often to ever get careless about regional and language options.

 

[Culhwch]

Wow, so much angst about such an inconsequential thing! My advice to everyone would be: Dude, seriously, chillax.

I suppose I keep it on as a back-stop, just in case I miss something.

This is the only way it should be used by anyone who is writing fiction, especially those who aspire to a professional level. If there's a red squiggly or a green squiggly, by all means check it to make sure the word or sentence is correct as you meant it, but then let it go and just move on.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Dude, seriously, chillax.

That's a cliche or at least a colloquialism, an oxymoron, and a word that should be either "chill-ax", "chinchilla", or "schlock". Take your pick.

 

[Culhwch]

Checks (metaphorical) squiggly line. Meant 'chillax'. Moving on.

See how simple it is?

 

[Parson]

And a very parsonical thought, Parson, that I ought to keep my temper. Though if I turned the other cheek, it would probably try and correct that, too. I suppose I keep it on as a back-stop, just in case I miss something. Though I do wonder that if it tries to correct things which are right, does it also fail to correct things which are wrong?

I suppose it might try to correct you if you tried to turn your other cheek. I was taught never to show my other cheeks.

(Non-parsonical thought that. --- Parsonical is a word which is very much squiggly red underlined. U.S. spell checker you know.)