‘Alexandria Impolite’: Spell Checker Mangles Names in High School Yearbook
No, this is not me. Really. But you've gotta love her tall hair and the snaky ponytail.
When the students at Middletown Area High School in Pennsylvania picked up their yearbooks, they were in for a surprise. On four of the yearbook’s 176 pages, last names of students were changed to creative new monikers:
- Max Zupanovic became “Max Supernova”
- Kathy Carbaugh became “Kathy Airbag”
- William Givler became “William Giver”
- Cameron Bendgen became “Cameron Bandage”
- Kayla Hrobak became “Kayla Throwback”
- Allesandra Ippolito became “Alexandria Impolite”
As a former high school yearbook adviser, my first inclination was to assume that some sneaky yearbook staff members played a practical joke. Not so. Turns out it was Taylor Publishing Company’s fault.
Apparently, an automated spell-checker at the yearbook publishing giant ran amok, randomly changing unfamiliar last names to names its built-in dictionary recognized.
Misspelling names in any document is the kiss of death. If you apply for a job and misspell the hiring manager’s name on your cover letter, you can forget about landing that job. One author I know discovered that his name had been misspelled on the cover of his first book. Ouch!
My last name (Christianson) is routinely misspelled. When people turn “Christianson” into “Christensen,” “Christian,” “Christenson,” or myriad other permutations, it makes me lose a bit of respect for the speller, whom I suspect didn’t care enough to do a simple double-check.
In the case of the yearbook “spell checker gone wild,” human intervention would have (hopefully) rectified the error before the yearbooks went to press.
The lesson here is: Spell-check your spell checker.
Don’t assume that your computer has all the answers. Double- and triple-check the spelling of all names…after your computer’s had a crack at them.
Readers: In what creative ways does your name get mangled…either by humans or computers?
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Yeah… Tell me about it. M.S. Word likes to suggest “overeater” for my last name. Do I win some sort of pity prize for that? ~ K. Vorreiter
Yeah… Tell me about it. M.S. Word likes to suggest “overeater” for my last name. Do I win some sort of pity prize for that? ~ K. Vorreiter
Yeah… Tell me about it. M.S. Word likes to suggest “overeater” for my last name. Do I win some sort of pity prize for that? ~ K. Vorreiter
Yeah… Tell me about it. M.S. Word likes to suggest “overeater” for my last name. Do I win some sort of pity prize for that? ~ K. Vorreiter
Yeah… Tell me about it. M.S. Word likes to suggest “overeater” for my last name. Do I win some sort of pity prize for that? ~ K. Vorreiter
Yeah… Tell me about it. M.S. Word likes to suggest “overeater” for my last name. Do I win some sort of pity prize for that? ~ K. Vorreiter
Speaking of spell check, there is a good program Spell Check Anywhere (SpellCheckAnywhere.Com) it adds spell check to all programs.
Speaking of spell check, there is a good program Spell Check Anywhere (SpellCheckAnywhere.Com) it adds spell check to all programs.
Speaking of spell check, there is a good program Spell Check Anywhere (SpellCheckAnywhere.Com) it adds spell check to all programs.
Speaking of spell check, there is a good program Spell Check Anywhere (SpellCheckAnywhere.Com) it adds spell check to all programs.
Speaking of spell check, there is a good program Spell Check Anywhere (SpellCheckAnywhere.Com) it adds spell check to all programs.
Speaking of spell check, there is a good program Spell Check Anywhere (SpellCheckAnywhere.Com) it adds spell check to all programs.
I usually get a laugh seeing Spell Check’s suggestions on how to replace people’s names. For example during the election campaign Obama was changed to IBM, Palin showed as palid, and McCain became moccasin. However making changes like that in something as important to people as a yearbook is inexcusable.
I usually get a laugh seeing Spell Check’s suggestions on how to replace people’s names. For example during the election campaign Obama was changed to IBM, Palin showed as palid, and McCain became moccasin. However making changes like that in something as important to people as a yearbook is inexcusable.
I usually get a laugh seeing Spell Check’s suggestions on how to replace people’s names. For example during the election campaign Obama was changed to IBM, Palin showed as palid, and McCain became moccasin. However making changes like that in something as important to people as a yearbook is inexcusable.
I usually get a laugh seeing Spell Check’s suggestions on how to replace people’s names. For example during the election campaign Obama was changed to IBM, Palin showed as palid, and McCain became moccasin. However making changes like that in something as important to people as a yearbook is inexcusable.
Can you tell me where this picture is from?? Someone found it and sent the link to me. It looks like my long lost twin!! Maybe an aunt I have never met?? This is me…http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30626539&l=53a2159244&id=1352856053
Thanks!
Can you tell me where this picture is from?? Someone found it and sent the link to me. It looks like my long lost twin!! Maybe an aunt I have never met?? This is me…http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30626539&l=53a2159244&id=1352856053
Thanks!
Can you tell me where this picture is from?? Someone found it and sent the link to me. It looks like my long lost twin!! Maybe an aunt I have never met?? This is me…http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30626539&l=53a2159244&id=1352856053
Thanks!
Can you tell me where this picture is from?? Someone found it and sent the link to me. It looks like my long lost twin!! Maybe an aunt I have never met?? This is me…http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30626539&l=53a2159244&id=1352856053
Thanks!
Heather,
It is a stock photo from Stock.xchng. I think I searched for “yearbook photo.”
Heather,
It is a stock photo from Stock.xchng. I think I searched for “yearbook photo.”
Heather,
It is a stock photo from Stock.xchng. I think I searched for “yearbook photo.”
Heather,
It is a stock photo from Stock.xchng. I think I searched for “yearbook photo.”
Heather,
It is a stock photo from Stock.xchng. I think I searched for “yearbook photo.”
Heather,
It is a stock photo from Stock.xchng. I think I searched for “yearbook photo.”
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Hanging out a total stranger and self hiding behind som obscure text,ur my hero, cuz like u im such a coward and often blame people around me
Hanging out a total stranger and self hiding behind som obscure text,ur my hero, cuz like u im such a coward and often blame people around me