I hope your point ISN’T mute.

I’ve come across this particular error a lot lately, especially and unfortunately in a quite a few of my text/work books for University, which just goes to show that relying solely on a spellchecker is NOT a good idea.

The correct phrase is ‘it’s a MOOT point’  which means that though the point may be up for discussion, circumstances render it not worth while discussing or cogent to the matter at hand.

“Moot” is a very old word related to “meeting,” specifically a meeting where serious matters are discussed. Oddly enough, a moot point can be a point worth discussing at a meeting (or in court)-an unresolved question-or it can be the opposite: a point already settled and not worth discussing further. At any rate, “mute point” is simply wrong, as is the less common “mood point.” (taken from www.wusu.edu)

I can’t say that I have come across anyone using the term “mood point” which is probably a good thing as the mere mention sets my teeth on edge.

Let us hope that the trend towards using “mute point” even in jest does not continue, “moot” is a lovely old word, full of a rich history and meaning.

And today I find that something I always thought was correct was in fact wrong, for years I was under the impression that a group of Owls was called a Moot, today I am sadly disambiguated, a group of Owls is called a Parliament. I am sadly disappointed, a Moot sounds much more distinguished than that rabble we call Parliament.

It’s ONLY the Interwebz!!

One of the things that really annoys me about the Internet is the insistence
that spelling and therefore by extension, grammar does not matter, I hear so many
times “It’s only the Internet”.

If it’s “only the Internet” then why now do so many head hunters and job recruiters
insist that if you have a Facebook or a MySpace page online then it is best to lock
those places as tight as possible so that prospective employers do not see you
at your drunken or incomprehensible best?

If the first thing that a prospective employer finds when he/she googles your
name is your Facebook and your proud wall ramblings that are full of basic spelling
mistakes and pictures of you vomiting into a handy toilet, and the caption
loudly proclaims “BEST NIGHT EVAH!!!!!!!!!”  with enough exclamation marks
to populate a pine plantation.

He/she will take one look at that and move swiftly on.

So tell me now that it’s “Only the Internet”

I’m not advocating that you run a spell checker over every single thing that
you write or post on the Internet(though the thought had crossed my mind), all
I am saying is that it takes about ten seconds to run your eye over what you’ve
written and just fix the basic, obvious mistakes.

Words like my old favourites, there, their and they’re, ones like too, too and two,
or lose and loose, or a new one, pus and puss, mixing up those two can lead to
some very interesting mental pictures on part of your reader.

I’m not saying that you get all grammar Nazi on your posts, but you can write
informally and still have good spelling, basic punctuation and grammar. If
you are in the slightest bit interested in how you come across to people.

Remember the person who reads your stuff might just be the person you will
be relying upon to give you a job one day in the future.