Once more into the trousers
February 21st, 2008I’ll keep this rant brief as I’m sure many have done it before me. It concerns the insidious influence of the spelling checker.
On the same day I have encountered the following:
1. The SMH refers to the US being keen to take advantage of Castro’s resignation by “reigning the island back into its sphere of influence”
2. A requirements document I was assessing referred to “breeches of regulatory requirements”
3. The same document refers to various systems as not being “effected” by the project
The concepts are not difficult.
1. reigns are for monarchs; reins are for horses. Despite American ambitions I think we can be clear the the metaphor here is referring to horses.
2. regulatory requirements do not wear trousers
3. effected/affected are best understood via their opposites. Consider the difference between ineffective and unaffected. We do not require our systems to be ineffective.
And while I am ranting, it is a spelling checker not a spell checker. The latter can be useful when reviewing necromantic incantations or demonic summonings (where the consequences of mistakes can be extreme) but they have no place in checking spelling.
Rant over.
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