Post by lillithonyx on Jul 14, 2005 19:24:26 GMT -5
Got this from my sister:
The Difference Between a Spell Checker and a Spelling Checker
>Don McLeod 1997
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>-----------
>
>Having been in the Pagan scene for many years, but being new to
>computers, I was fascinated when I saw a program that was called
>a "Spell Checker". My naive mind had visions of a program that would
>check the contents of the spells that I typed up. I imagined that it
>might make suggestions such as, "You've forgotten to specify the
>type of incense to be used", or..."You are supposed to use a green
>candle for money spells, not red!" I soon found, however, that it
>only checked the spelling of the words, not the wording of the
>spells.
>
>I discovered this difference during the course of updating my
>(computerized) Book of Shadows. I had typed up an ancient spell
>called "The Wicca Charm", and to my horror, when I pressed the Spell
>Checker option, the computer altered the wording significantly.
>Those of you who know more about computers than myself (which is
>probably everyone except the natives of the Upper Amazon) would
>undoubtably know that when a Spell Checker finds a word that is
>unfamiliar, it assumes that a typing error has been made, and it
>substitutes a word that it thinks may have been intended. I however,
>did not understand this basic premise.
>
>And since Pagans tend to have a language that is littered with words
>that other people do not normally use, the results from using a
>Spell Checker can be hilarious, as was the case with the computer's
>versions of "The Wicca Charm".
>
>The original spell is shown immediately below, and following that is
>the revised version that resulted from using the Spell Checker
>program.
>
>THE WICCA CHARM
>Wicca followers heed the call
>of Lammas to Imbolg,
>dancing deosil, never widdershins
>as we worship ye old religion.
>
> >From the grimoire's magic true,
>we find that we now have the runes;
>& the sigils that will bring power
>to our Sabbat's witching hour.
>
>With a pentacle in hand,
>await the Goddess's command,
>then cast your circle with athame
>and with a censer burning vervain.
>
>Throw your talisman into the fire,
>and to you comes what you desire.
>Then jump astride a besom firm
>and ride until the talisman burns.
>
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>The computer-revised version is
>
>THE KNICKER CHARM
>Knicker followers heed the call
>lamingtons to imbibe,
>dancing docile, never widdling
>we worship a yelled religion.
>
> >From the grim one's magic true,
>we find that we now have the runs;
>& the sickness that will bring power
>to our sad bat's twitching hour.
>
>With a testicle in hand,
>await the Goddess's command
>then cast your circle with shame
>and with a sense of burning vermin.
>
>Throw your tallest man into the fire,
>and to you comes what you desire.
>Then jump astride a bosom firm
>and ride until the tallest man burns
The Difference Between a Spell Checker and a Spelling Checker
>Don McLeod 1997
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>-----------
>
>Having been in the Pagan scene for many years, but being new to
>computers, I was fascinated when I saw a program that was called
>a "Spell Checker". My naive mind had visions of a program that would
>check the contents of the spells that I typed up. I imagined that it
>might make suggestions such as, "You've forgotten to specify the
>type of incense to be used", or..."You are supposed to use a green
>candle for money spells, not red!" I soon found, however, that it
>only checked the spelling of the words, not the wording of the
>spells.
>
>I discovered this difference during the course of updating my
>(computerized) Book of Shadows. I had typed up an ancient spell
>called "The Wicca Charm", and to my horror, when I pressed the Spell
>Checker option, the computer altered the wording significantly.
>Those of you who know more about computers than myself (which is
>probably everyone except the natives of the Upper Amazon) would
>undoubtably know that when a Spell Checker finds a word that is
>unfamiliar, it assumes that a typing error has been made, and it
>substitutes a word that it thinks may have been intended. I however,
>did not understand this basic premise.
>
>And since Pagans tend to have a language that is littered with words
>that other people do not normally use, the results from using a
>Spell Checker can be hilarious, as was the case with the computer's
>versions of "The Wicca Charm".
>
>The original spell is shown immediately below, and following that is
>the revised version that resulted from using the Spell Checker
>program.
>
>THE WICCA CHARM
>Wicca followers heed the call
>of Lammas to Imbolg,
>dancing deosil, never widdershins
>as we worship ye old religion.
>
> >From the grimoire's magic true,
>we find that we now have the runes;
>& the sigils that will bring power
>to our Sabbat's witching hour.
>
>With a pentacle in hand,
>await the Goddess's command,
>then cast your circle with athame
>and with a censer burning vervain.
>
>Throw your talisman into the fire,
>and to you comes what you desire.
>Then jump astride a besom firm
>and ride until the talisman burns.
>
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>The computer-revised version is
>
>THE KNICKER CHARM
>Knicker followers heed the call
>lamingtons to imbibe,
>dancing docile, never widdling
>we worship a yelled religion.
>
> >From the grim one's magic true,
>we find that we now have the runs;
>& the sickness that will bring power
>to our sad bat's twitching hour.
>
>With a testicle in hand,
>await the Goddess's command
>then cast your circle with shame
>and with a sense of burning vermin.
>
>Throw your tallest man into the fire,
>and to you comes what you desire.
>Then jump astride a bosom firm
>and ride until the tallest man burns