spell check argh!

Don Drummer · Post by **Don Drummer** » 22 Jan 2015 2:43 am

I use an android tablet. The spell check is passing me off! When I spell an old record label it come out as Mecca instead of Mecca. See it did it again. How do I disable?

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 22 Jan 2015 7:28 am

Well, your device might be getting it right; "Mecca" = "Mecca".

But if you do want to prevent it from entering stuff you didn't want, you probably need to disable "Predictive Text". Finding that setting likely will depend on the version of Android you're using and the device manufacturer.

In my Samsung phone, it's in "Settings > Language and Input > Samsung Keyboard". Opening the settings for the "Samsung Keyboard" shows an option to turn "Predictive Text" on or off.

It's intended to be a time-saver, but I never use it; the "predictions" are wrong too often and it's a PITA struggling with it.

Don Drummer · Post by **Don Drummer** » 22 Jan 2015 12:27 pm

Thanks Dave, I'll try that.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 22 Jan 2015 12:32 pm

I always turn spell-checking off. Most of the time it's wrong, and the grammar-checking is even worse. Most of those programs were written by people who know very little about grammar. I'm particularly annoyed when the program warns me not to use the Passive Voice, as though it is some sort of error. A large proportion of the great works of literature, including the Bible, are written almost exclusively in the passive voice. It's a recognised writing style.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 22 Jan 2015 1:06 pm

I love spell check. It's like GPS. Never right. I mis-spelled "each" earlier today. I typed eack. It gave me 6 or so other words, and none of then were "each".

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 22 Jan 2015 1:58 pm

These devices almost all have a "feature" called "predictive text", which is totally different from a spell-checker.

The latter checks spelling AFTER you've typed the word, and corrects it if it's wrong. Predictive text, OTOH, tries to guess what you're planning to type in advance, and offers "suggestions" you can choose from before you've finished typing the word, to save you time. If you're not watching what it's doing, you often end up with words you didn't want - very annoying.

I may be wrong, but I assumed that was going on since we're talking about Android, and this is common with that OS.

Don Drummer · Post by **Don Drummer** » 23 Jan 2015 4:57 am

Predictive text sounds more likely. Not sure what their assumption are. Let me give it a try...King Abdullah recent death has turned up a treasure trove of early Della releases.....he was trying to Mecca stab at entering the record business. He consulted a seer who used a deck a cards to see his future. He decided to name his busineas deck-a cards records.????

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 23 Jan 2015 6:17 am

Don Drummer wrote:Predictive text sounds more likely. Not sure what their assumption are.

I'm sure it's just a compilation of the most commonly-used words that fit whatever combination of letters has been typed. I've seen some cases where the user could even select how many letters to type before the "predictions" would kick in.

As you'd expect, the quality of the "predictions" is dependent on the lexicon being used to define "most commonly-used words". I suspect it's based on pop-culture, since that's the crowd that uses these devices the most - the "thumb-typers". Anyone else who tends to use technical jargon or anything beyond the one or two-syllable words used in pop-culture ends up with nuisance "predictions".

Don Drummer · Post by **Don Drummer** » 23 Jan 2015 1:03 pm

In other words,intellectually descending. I tried to use the other word that begins with a d and has a mb in it but it would not let me.

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 23 Jan 2015 3:35 pm

Pretty much, Don.

But, what about your tablet? Did you locate the "Predictive Text" setting and turn it off to see if it fixed the problem?