Eric Meyer, a web design writer, has proposed a sort of plugin for sites where readers could report typos and other errors. See http://meyerweb.com/eric/thoug...ditorial-the-plugin/.

That strikes me a potentially dangerous knowing the penchant of some prescriptivists to complain about the most ridiculous constructions. What think ye?

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That strikes me a potentially dangerous knowing the penchant of some prescriptivists to complain about the most ridiculous constructions. What think ye?

I just posted this:

Let’s start here:

“hey, I spotted this error, now you know so you can fix it”

Needs to start with cap “h”, then period (not comma) Cap “n” to stop run-on sentence.

Might as well nail up a "Trolls Welcome" sign.

I find it arrogant and would likely point out those non-errors (such as ending sentences with a preposition) that we talk about all the time. What a waste of time.

>doh brother< even worse than spell-check

People shouldn't complain about others tilo their own house is in order.

Isn't it the truth, Proof? The prescriptive editor I deal with is the one who says "amendable" instead of "amenable." It's a little bit of epicaricacy on my part that I've never pointed that out.

Muphry's law is bound to come in.

Many years ago I wrote to Steve Allen, the comedian, about his book Dumbth, since the title page, copyright, blurb, and front title all had different renderings of the actual title. Needless to say, he failed to acknowledge the error. Perhaps because the subtitle was "81 Ways to Make Americans Smarter." The 82nd would have been to hire a proofreader.

On the news today, one of the candidates for governor of Virginia (an ordained minister) has written a book. One of the words in its title is "Commandment" but it is misspelled "Comandment" on the front cover in huge letters. It's correct on the back cover.

Though shallt not publish without proofreading?

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The 82nd would have been to hire a proofreader.

Which brings me to the question, Proof...how why have you chosen Proofreader for your name? You've probably mentioned it before, but I've just forgotten.

BTW, I love Muphry's Law, arnie, and I am going to use it! Just today I was talking to our prescriptive editor who was criticizing her colleague for being too prescriptive when editing her writing. Being politically correct, I said not a word - but boy was I thinking epicaricacy-like!

I'm having fun at work at the moment being ultra-prescriptive. The head of our agency is sending out a series of individual letters to stakeholders that he is personally signing. He's let it be known that he doesn't want to find any 'grammatical mistakes' in them. I've been asked to proofread them before they are given to him for signing, and I can usually find something to criticise changes to suggest.

I did proofing as one aspect of my printing career. No idea why it came to mind as a pseudonym.

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I can usually find something to criticise changes to suggest.

Yes, I imagine everyone here could find something wrong with just about any sentence.

Here was my fortune in a fortune cookie today: "Your good ideas will capture you to fame." Shu thinks they meant "catapult."

Slightly off point but I hope in keeping with the title, on the same day two different people asked me the same question (in different circumstances) and I thought of this way to answer, if I had he nerve.

Do you think just a skirt makes you fat?
I believe it would take more than that.
If you added some weight,
I am sure you'd look great.
But, for now, you are bony and flat.

I am glad you didn't have the nerve. [Speaking of which, I've never really thought that phrase "having nerve" or "getting on my nerves" made much sense, physiologically speaking.]