Giraffe Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 I am about to give up on reading books. I seem to have a talent (curse?) for finding all the typos, grammatical errors, and editing mistakes in a book. I'm reading History of the Ancient World and just about through it across the room last night because of the typos/mistakes in it. There's a map listing the canal built by Necho II as built by Necho III. The word "descendents" was used. The name by which Nataputta Vardhamana became known as was used before explaining it (Mahavira). This is a book by SWB! I know it's not her, it's her copy editor. I'm not bashing her. I love the book, can't wait to read the next one in the series. What frustrates me is that I see these errors and they completely throw me off track in my reading. I can't gloss over them and go on. They stop me cold. I see them in school handouts, every. single. book I read, flyers, etc. Am I the only one? Does everyone else either not notice or just pass them by without any fuss? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 No, you're not the only one. I try to overlook mistakes when I know the copy hasn't been edited, but I hear you about the things that should have been caught and weren't. It's like fingernails on a chalkboard. I sent a language arts curriculum back to Rainbow Resource because the author spelled voila "vwa-la." I don't think she even knew it was a French word.:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 I am about to give up on reading books. I seem to have a talent (curse?) for finding all the typos, grammatical errors, and editing mistakes in a book. I'm reading History of the Ancient World and just about through it across the room last night because of the typos/mistakes in it. There's a map listing the canal built by Necho II as built by Necho III. The word "descendents" was used. Through it across the room? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 I just fix them. They drive me crazy, but once I make the correction, I feel better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 Through it across the room? :D No, you're not the only one. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted November 6, 2010 Author Share Posted November 6, 2010 How do I gloss over the errors? It's really frustrating! I once wrote the author of a children's book for misspelling nickel as "nickle". It was a board book - not an 800 page tome! He wrote back saying it was a copy editing error and apologized. They found it after the first printing. He sent a corrected book, which was nice but not my goal. I just couldn't let it go. :banghead: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted November 6, 2010 Author Share Posted November 6, 2010 Through it across the room? :D ARRGH!!! Oh for crying out loud!! :svengo: I just knew I was going to do that. That's what I get for saying anything! (Slinking back into her hole....):leaving: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 (edited) I saw a job advertisement that misspelled "hygiene," and another that misspelled something else very obviously wrong. I also recently read a book about philosophy and children that misspelled our president's first name. And Gail Gibbons' "Reasons for the Seasons" and it has an "it's" instead of an "its" on the last page -- acck! You know, the Unabomber used to send red-marked pages back to the editor of the local paper. Sigh. Edited November 6, 2010 by stripe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 I just fix them. They drive me crazy, but once I make the correction, I feel better! I actually do this too. And, yes, it does have a calming effect. I was hired as a proofreader by a homeschool author because I wrote to tell her how to tidy up her book for the second edition. She just happened to live a few miles away from me so she offered me the job. Not being able to look past typos can actually become a lucrative occupation.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 I notice that too. my pet peeve? typos on Store signs. It makes me crazy as do intentional misspellings (think Klassy Kuntry Tile as the name of a business. AURGH!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 Kampgrounds of America? I think they misspell because you can't copyright regular words. My petpeeve used to be fractions of a cent (Green beans .29c per pound), but since no one EVER gets this right, I've had to move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 During our visit to Mt. Vernon yesterday I noticed a typo on the sign at the shoemaker's workshop. The title said "Shoemaker's Workshop" but the first sentence read "shomaker." This was an official wooden sign that had been profesionally produced - not just a little handwritten poster. It was kind of busy there so I just passed on by and let it go. That was very, very hard to do, btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 I took a look at a book about this guy who travels the country correcting typos. I was a little bored by it, but it was a good topic, anyway... http://greattypohunt.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShutterBug Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 No, you're not the only one who does this...but I think you'd be much happier if you'd just move past it and let it go. It's just a typo after all :001_smile: . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted November 6, 2010 Author Share Posted November 6, 2010 There is a huge sign near us, lighted, part of a shopping center display, that says "TRIFF STORE". They mean Thrift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 No, you're not the only one who does this...but I think you'd be much happier if you'd just move past it and let it go. It's just a typo after all :001_smile: . If only we could. Definitely easier said than done, I'm afraid.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted November 6, 2010 Author Share Posted November 6, 2010 If only we could. Definitely easier said than done, I'm afraid.:D Exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punchie Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 My sister does this with movies - she catches all of the inconsistancies. Drives me nuts watching films w/her b/c she points them out and then I can't enjoy it anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty in Pink Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 There is a huge sign near us, lighted, part of a shopping center display, that says "TRIFF STORE". They mean Thrift. Seriously? Oh my. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dulcimeramy Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 No, you're not the only one. I try to overlook mistakes when I know the copy hasn't been edited, but I hear you about the things that should have been caught and weren't. It's like fingernails on a chalkboard. I sent a language arts curriculum back to Rainbow Resource because the author spelled voila "vwa-la." I don't think she even knew it was a French word.:tongue_smilie: I am amazed how many people have obviously never seen the word in print. Even here on the WTM boards, I have often seen "wah-lah." What do they think they are saying?? I was shopping online for a homeschool public speaking program. I found one that claims to be the best in the world, but whoever wrote the website does not know that one should capitalize sentences. Also, every paragraph had spelling errors. Yes, please, take my money and send me your curriculum. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 publishing has gone through a huge layoff in the last few years. There are so many books -- too few editors. There is no such thing as an editor helping a promising writer a long, there is no time for that anymore. they work all the time- from home- for very little. They are tired, and they aren't paid enough. THAT is why there are errors everywhere. Even the copy editors are overworked. It won't get better until the publishing earthquake starts to work itself out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 I have worked as an editor, and I find mistakes everywhere. My 7th grade English teacher had a poster that she put up every year on her classroom door with clippings from newspapers that had mistakes in them. I found all the mistakes within a couple of minutes and told them to her. She was dumbfounded - she said no one else had ever even found all the mistakes, let alone as quickly as I did. (background to establish my pedigree :D) (real point of my post :D) Mistakes used to really, really bother me, like you said. But nearly twenty years ago, I asked myself, "How do I want to go through life? Pointing out everyone's mistakes? Being so nitpicky that I ruin my own enjoyment of things and make it so no one wants to be near me?" I decided no. I stopped focusing on mistakes, and eventually I found that they bothered me less. I actually find it amusing - the many and varied ways that I have seen "Voilà " spelled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 My sister does this with movies - she catches all of the inconsistancies. Drives me nuts watching films w/her b/c she points them out and then I can't enjoy it anymore. :glare: My husband and my older son do this. I understand that inconsistencies and mistakes bother them, but it completely ruins my movie experience when they feel the need to share Every Single One with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 I have worked as an editor, and I find mistakes everywhere. My 7th grade English teacher had a poster that she put up every year on her classroom door with clippings from newspapers that had mistakes in them. I found all the mistakes within a couple of minutes and told them to her. She was dumbfounded - she said no one else had ever even found all the mistakes, let alone as quickly as I did. (background to establish my pedigree :D) (real point of my post :D) Mistakes used to really, really bother me, like you said. But nearly twenty years ago, I asked myself, "How do I want to go through life? Pointing out everyone's mistakes? Being so nitpicky that I ruin my own enjoyment of things and make it so no one wants to be near me?" I decided no. I stopped focusing on mistakes, and eventually I found that they bothered me less. I actually find it amusing - the many and varied ways that I have seen "Voilà " spelled. That's why I have no problem overlooking a great many of them. By overlooking, I mean I don't write to the author or the webmaster, I just go on with my life. But I'm afraid I draw the line at spending money on a language arts curriclum that includes a spelling component written by an author who clearly cannot spell. There must be some standard about curriculum - at least in my book. I especially cringe when the typos and grammatical errors are made by publishers of homeschool books and curriculum. A lot of non-homeschooling folks are out there looking for ammunition and I, for one, think we ought to be a bit more careful about giving it to them. Kwim? Like I said, for stuff that's obviously not been under the scruitiny of a proofreader's eye, no big deal. But if you're going to put yourself out there as a published author, you had better be careful to get the vast majority of the mistakes taken care of. jmo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelia Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 My sister does this with movies - she catches all of the inconsistancies. Drives me nuts watching films w/her b/c she points them out and then I can't enjoy it anymore. I do this, and it drives DH insane. I have to consciously stop myself from saying anything (on occasion by literally biting my tongue) so I don't ruin every movie for him. I do the same thing with written content. Luckily one of my good friends from work does it also, so we make fun of the errors together. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaffodilDreams Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 I notice that sort of thing, too, but I usually try not to let it bother me. I have to admit, though, the errors in our local paper irritate me so much that I've thought of calling the paper and offering up my services as an editor since it appears there isn't one! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 Through it across the room? :D *snort* :lol: Sorry, Hopscotch. Spelling mistakes bug me too, although I don't think they've ever stopped me reading anything I wanted to read. I just randomly proof-read any words I see, including road and shop signs, train timetables, restaurant menus.. you name it, I proofread it. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted November 6, 2010 Author Share Posted November 6, 2010 *snort* :lol: Sorry, Hopscotch. Spelling mistakes bug me too, although I don't think they've ever stopped me reading anything I wanted to read. I just randomly proof-read any words I see, including road and shop signs, train timetables, restaurant menus.. you name it, I proofread it. :D It's ok. I wanted to just crawl into a hole when I saw the mistake. ARRGH! :svengo: :leaving: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 Lol ur 2 worryed abt things. Idk but i dont think anything rong wif typos after all lol alot of ppl typo and some of them are rilly smart. :leaving: :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paintedlady Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 I tend to notice things like that, but you sound a little silly and over the top about it. Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 I was hired as a proofreader by a homeschool author because I wrote to tell her how to tidy up her book for the second edition. She just happened to live a few miles away from me so she offered me the job. Not being able to look past typos can actually become a lucrative occupation.:D I had a similar experience. In my case, I wrote to the owner of a company that published homeschooling materials after I saw an abundance of errors in their catalog. I was hired to proofread several of their subsequent publications. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 I was shopping online for a homeschool public speaking program. I found one that claims to be the best in the world, but whoever wrote the website does not know that one should capitalize sentences. Also, every paragraph had spelling errors. Yes, please, take my money and send me your curriculum. :lol: My second snort on this thread. :smilielol5: At least it wasn't a spelling or grammar curriculum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Its not a typo, but something Diva picked up: In The Long Winter, Laura is mentioned as being 'almost fourteen'. Almanzo is said to be 19. When they get married, in the First Four Years, they mention that Almanzo is 10 yrs older than Laura. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Its not a typo, but something Diva picked up: In The Long Winter, Laura is mentioned as being 'almost fourteen'. Almanzo is said to be 19. When they get married, in the First Four Years, they mention that Almanzo is 10 yrs older than Laura. :001_huh: I might regret jumping in here! But I thought that Almanzo was 19 when he arrived on the prairie with his older brother; he'd be older when he met Laura (and then quite possibly 10yrs older than her)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 I might regret jumping in here! But I thought that Almanzo was 19 when he arrived on the prairie with his older brother; he'd be older when he met Laura (and then quite possibly 10yrs older than her)? Laura would age at the same rate ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Laura would age at the same rate ;) Of course. Being me, I had to go check in my books. At the beginning of The Long Winter, Laura is said to be "going on fourteen", i.e, she is 13 (Chapter 1). When Almanzo and his brother Royal took the claim, he was 19, and stated to be so still in Chapter 10. I can't find anything that says there was 10yrs between them though. Where is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Its not a typo, but something Diva picked up: In The Long Winter, Laura is mentioned as being 'almost fourteen'. Almanzo is said to be 19. When they get married, in the First Four Years, they mention that Almanzo is 10 yrs older than Laura. :001_huh: I believe this was a deliberate misstatement in an attempt to decrease the magnitude of the age gap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 ROTFL :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 I am amazed how many people have obviously never seen the word in print. Even here on the WTM boards, I have often seen "wah-lah." What do they think they are saying?? I am honestly not sure "voilà " means anything more to a non-French speaker than "vwala" or "wahla" or whatever, in and of itself. (It's a phrase with that certain "je ne sais quoi" !) Maybe they think it's like "Ta-da!" Not really sure...But it must be popular enough because there is something called "Vwala!". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in TX Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 It's ok. I wanted to just crawl into a hole when I saw the mistake. ARRGH!:svengo: :leaving: I think you need to show a little grace and move on. Obviously mistakes happen, right? :) (I notice grammatical and spelling mistakes as well, but I would not let it stop me from reading a book I'm enjoying.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 I have never seen Voila spelled vwala or any other way. My problem with serious misspellings is that I simply don't understand them. Like if I have seen vwa-la without the explanation, I would have thought it was some strange other word. In fact, the misspelling reminds me of Valhalla. Not sure why but there it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 I worked in publishing for several years prior to having children. One of the publishing houses for which I worked was known for its high editing/proofing standards. Each manuscript was vetted by: 1 senior editor, 3 copy editors, 1 typesetter, and 2 proofreaders. That's seven experts microscopically examining a manuscript--and all seven of those people were by personality as well as training obsessive about text errors. Yet Somehow books were/are published with errors. We found them post-publication all the time. People wrote to us about the errors. As the errors came to light, they were filed and corrected on subsequent reprintings. It was the best we could do. Not all publishing houses have that many people scrutinizing a book. Errors happen. It's just the nature of the beast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 (edited) I do this, and it drives DH insane. I have to consciously stop myself from saying anything (on occasion by literally biting my tongue) so I don't ruin every movie for him. I do the same thing with written content. Luckily one of my good friends from work does it also, so we make fun of the errors together. :lol: My brother is a pixel freak. He counts & troubleshoots them...and tells us about them. He tries, bless his heart, but I know it gets his heart racing, and he really can't hide it. His breathig changes, he fidgets etc. He's like that for a lot of things, actually, and it makes me sad for him. My mind will automatically correct certain writing errors, so therefore I don't always notice, or if I do, I can easily continue. (Although... God Love's Everyone is hard to ignore). I thought 'Through it out the window' was ironic commentary, so I smiled. It gets me threw the day. :D Edited November 8, 2010 by LibraryLover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialmama Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 I think you need to show a little grace and move on. Obviously mistakes happen, right? :) (I notice grammatical and spelling mistakes as well, but I would not let it stop me from reading a book I'm enjoying.) I worked in publishing for several years prior to having children. One of the publishing houses for which I worked was known for its high editing/proofing standards. Each manuscript was vetted by: 1 senior editor, 3 copy editors, 1 typesetter, and 2 proofreaders. That's seven experts microscopically examining a manuscript--and all seven of those people were by personality as well as training obsessive about text errors. Yet Somehow books were/are published with errors. We found them post-publication all the time. People wrote to us about the errors. As the errors came to light, they were filed and corrected on subsequent reprintings. It was the best we could do. Not all publishing houses have that many people scrutinizing a book. Errors happen. It's just the nature of the beast. :iagree: I was in publishing as well and mistakes still happen. Be gracious and realize that you are guilty of it as well. Pride goeth before a fall. ;) It's a truth that proves itself time and time again. It just got me yesterday. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 :iagree: I was in publishing as well and mistakes still happen. Be gracious and realize that you are guilty of it as well. Pride goeth before a fall. ;) It's a truth that proves itself time and time again. It just got me yesterday. :tongue_smilie: If you count typos, I'm a daily kind- of- gal. :auto: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialmama Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 If you count typos, I'm a daily kind- of- gal. :auto: :lol: I think pride about anything counts. But I hear you! I have days were the words could and should just do not look right! :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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