Left brain vs. right and spelling errors

[CarolineRn]

Left brain vs. right

Not to be insulting to anyone here, but in reading posts on this board and others, I notice a lot of spelling and punctuation errors. This set me to thinking... (mmm, smell that wood burning)

Some of the most intelligent people I know are horrible spellers. I've noticed that many people (myself included) tend to forget some of the most basic spelling words when immersed in science and math classes.

Does this have anything to do with left brain/right?

When I was taking most of my nursing prereqs, I did the "easy" ones first... English, Lit, psych, etc... courses where there was a lot of reading, but not neccesarily alot of science, abstract thinking or reasoning. I aced these classes easily.

Then, I took my science classes and math, and suddenly found myself unable to spell the most basic of words!!

Now, in nursing school, I'm finding I have the same problem! Although I can spot a spelling error, typo or misprint a mile away, I cannot function without a spell-checker!

Anyone know if this is due to a shift in the side of the brain we use for language (mainly left) and reasoning (right?) I could be way off base, so if anyone knows, please enlighten me!

Thanks!

Caroline

[BeachNurse]

I am an excellent speller (barring a few typos). I am also left-handed. Does this mean I am very intelligent or...???? :)

[debbyed]

Was far from my best subject. Still don't understand why Cat isn't spelled Kat, just doesn't make any sense to me.

Routinely when using the computer I use spell check (even though sometimes it doesn't even recognize my words) but I can't figure out how to access spell check here on this board. (Also computer illiterate, didn't have them when I was in school).

I do keep a dictionary by the computer but that presents two problems. Either I don't know I'm spelling something wrong or since I don't know how to spell something in the first place I can't find it in the dictionary.

I just keep plugging along. Just remember if you are reading one of my posts and you are completely stumped, I tend to spell thing the way they sound.

Cincerely;

Debbye (this is the way my mother spelled it. Maybe she couldn't spell either, or she was just weird, kinda like me)

P.S. My Nursin' skylles is mush better then my spellin' skylles.

[CarolineRn]

Thanks for the great observations and all the insight, guys. Like Moonshadeau, I have a feeling that when good spellers go bad, it's the result of the brain kicking out info it doesn't think it needs.

Peter, that's really interesting about left-handed sibs and increased incidence of migraines. Where did you pick up this bit of info?

Sundowner, I have a problem spelling catheter too, always want to put a "d" in there.

Pixxel, let me know what your psych prof has to say about this, ok?

P_RN, I've always wondered, with dyslexia, do you know if studies have shown whether (never could spell that one right) or not people who suffer from it tend to accomodate in other ways? Like with the senses, a blind person will become more attuned to sounds, and taste?

dstrick, LOL @ your post! You sound like me..."babble babble, what is my point? I don't know!" But it does sound like you needed a challenge that you were able to get with science classes. Glad to hear you never gave up!

Brandy, you and I share pet peeves. I used to have a real potty mouth back in the day, even though I had a reasonably large vocab. Then, once I had kids, I realized that I had to curb that quick. Now that they are teens, I always remind them that nasty language and using the word like for every other word just makes them look ignorant, and that they should use more creative words to get their points across. However, I admit that when I'm hanging out with certain friends, those old words come out more often than not, and I hate when I do that.

Nurse4kids, I can certainly see where the abbreviations play a part. But for me, as a student, who's only recently begun using them, it's not an excuse. However, being someone who tends to do better with language than reasoning, I have to say that I can readily decipher most abbreviations easily. Lol about your hubby!

Beachnurse, the answer to your question is obvious. You're a nurse, of course you're highly intelligent!

Debbye, I think your mom is pretty creative, wish mine were also. It's funny how many people want to spell my name Karolyne. I think people are just starting to think outside the box when it comes to names these days. And LOL at your last line!

And to everyone who mentioned typos, I hear ya! As a matter of fact, the one key on the keyboard I never have to look for is the back key, as I use it so much to correct as I go along.

Thanks for all the input!

Caroline

[nurs4kids]

debbye,

roflmao..too cute!

[semstr]

Since I hardly ever talk or write in my mothertongue (Dutch) anymore, where my spelling was good, I don't give a f... anymore about spelling!

I just write the way I think it's right, sometimes I look at a word and think, no that's definetly (or definnetly or definitely) wrong and I write it a few times to compare.

English is a very difficult language to write and spell, talking is not the big problem. After a few classes you're able to understand a lot and to "brabbel" (that's German from brabbeln, means stammer) a few words.

Most of the time people know what I mean so that 's fine.

Now I am learning with my daughter, she's 13 and has to learn English at school, now that is something different! The grammar is horrible to learn! It is not very logical is it?

Why do you sometimes say you have to, you must or for that matter you are allowed to, you can etc????

Very hard! But then (or than?) German is even harder I think!!

With all those der, die, das .

Ah well, take care, Renee