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Morgan Flitt
Professor Rieman
UWRT 1103 (Does Spelling Matter)
22 September 2014
Writing To Explore
Imagine walking into an interview with your favorite old sweatshirt and a ripped
pair of jeans on. What would the reactions be? Would they even let you continue the
interview? Would you be written off from the moment you stepped through the doors?
Would you get the job? Now, imagine walking into a community service event, where
one was helping, per say, build houses, in a formal dress and jacket. Would you be
viewed as someone who wanted to help? Would you be welcomed into the event and
allowed to participate in it? Most likely, the answers to these questions are no; you would
not get the job and you would not participate in the event. But, why, when both outfits are
acceptable in one arena, would one outfit one place create trouble in another? Is there
something inherently wrong with the outfit itself? Of course, from the outside looking in
on the issue, it is clear that there is nothing inherently wrong with the outfits, but it rather
depends more on the context in which the outfits are worn. In the same way that context
is everything in regards to the choices we make and how those are perceived in our
fashion choices, I believe the same can apply to the spelling and language used in our
society.
I do not text my friends using the same spelling codes and terminology that I use
when I email my professor. It would just simply not be appropriate. But whether this
invalidates the former type of writing is another question in itself, and I believe it is

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certainly an interesting question to explore. I do agree with the article in saying that the
way that we spell things affects greatly how we are perceived. For instance, if instead of
beginning this paper in the manner I did, I had begun it with imagne waklin in2 an
intreveiw wit ur fav sweater I would have lost many readers instantly. This language is
not one that comes across as academic or professional, even though it can be understood
as well as the other spelling. In the context of the paper, which is going to a more
academic audience, spelling is hugely important. In the context of a friend sending a text
message to me that is silly and lighthearted, spelling becomes less important than the
content of the message itself. In the same way that when considering genres, one must
consider the audience that genre is being absorbed by and the conventions appropriate, I
find spelling to be a similar type of thought process in regards to determining when and
where the accuracy in it is detrimental to ones success.
I think that spelling, in many ways, also has a cultural aspect behind it that may
add to the reason many people find spelling to be so important. Spelling is often
perceived as a result of higher education, which reflects back on the status of a person. If
someone is highly educated and conveys their points with clarity and precision, they are
more likely to be perceived as knowledgeable than someone who lacks this professional
air that correct spelling provides. But spelling, in another sense, is a broader reflection of
not only just the power a person holds, but the culture that is most accepted. Many of the
perceived spelling errors are often just deviations from Standard English, which is not
the only language that is spoken in the United States. To consider the implications that
the only acceptable language and the most powerful expressions of our language are
those that do not deviate from what has traditionally been used by one powerful group

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brings up interesting questions about what our society and culture values. So, maybe
instead of asking the question does spelling matter, we should be asking the question why
does spelling matter and who exactly should it matter to or does it matter for?
In this Writing to Explore, I wanted to push the readers by providing multiple
perspectives on an issue that can be rather two sided. I wanted the opening paragraph to
be a bit seemingly off topic at first, but then once the metaphor is understood, I wanted it
to be clear why I used this metaphor to explain the importance of context in regards to
numerous facets of life. Though I wanted to bring multiple perspectives to the page, I also
wanted to come across as more conversational and open minded than defending one
opinion in particular, or the paper coming across as argumentative. I think that for the
most part, I did a good job of keeping the tone humble. I also wanted to ensure that I
pushed to readers to really question a somewhat menial part of their day-to-day lives,
something so simple as spelling. I wanted them to leave wanting to examine these
components of their culture and really wonder more than just does spelling matter, and I
think the final question achieved that well.