Spellbound: When Words Attack

My own view on the Romney app debackle was that it wasn't a mispelling so much as a typo - someone just transposed the letters!

From CNN Press Room: Spellbound: When Words Attack

If you’re like most Americans, it’s possible that the subject of spelling hasn’t crossed your mind since grade school. Sad, perhaps, that the same society who once stirred Alphabet Soup and spent their evenings playing Scrabble has been replaced with a culture of grammar zombies, totally dependent on gizmos like ‘autocorrect’ and ‘spell check.’ But recently, the news proved, if nothing else, that spelling is still good for a few hot headlines. Don’t believe us? Ask Mitt Romney.

Team Romney recently learned the perils of poor spelling the hard way after misspelling America – “Amercia” in a new smart phone app. The grammatical gaffe spread like wildfire, making the Governor’s campaign a fast butt of jokes online and through social media. CNN tech writer Doug Gross's article quips,“Somebody didn't observe the ‘I-before-C’ rule.’”

Coincidentally, as CNN’s Schools of Thought blog points out, this week also played host to the National Spelling Bee. Really, the connection writes itself, no? And in honor of orthographic accuracy, CNN Eatocracy’s own Kat Kinsman shared with users a personal story about her own Spelling Bee experience while reflecting on the emotion and anxiety young competitors face.

And just like that, Spelling got its groove back. So next time you defer to technology for your text-based needs, think of this story and remember: only one letter separates ‘laughter’ from ‘slaughter.’