Some words are just fine when they slap onto the virtual page. Just fine. But then there are some that are wasted with autocorrect. 

And it happens when the writer isn’t expecting such a thing. Like the other day I was texting my sister about what I was watching on a streaming service and the words just streaked off my fingers; then, I hit sent. I added that my car was still in the shop; then my sister responded with LOL or lots of laughter.

I puzzled over the response. So, I asked myself, “Why would my car being in the shop make her laugh?” When I looked back at my message it read: “I’m watching Ruth tenderloin mysteries on Prime.”

What? Now I was laughing out loud, too. The autocorrect struck again. It should’ve read Ruth Rendell Mysteries. (Ruth Rendell Mysteries is a British show first airing in 1987.)

We were still laughing so much tears were rolling over our cheeks. 

Other auto corrects aren’t always as benign.  What happens when a “not” shows up where you never intended or keystroked?  “I do NOT want to see you,” appears instead of the “I do want to see you.” The stroke could be pure pain there. 

How about when the writer gives a friend a compliment and it comes out: “Igor are so gifted!” I want to know where Autocorrect found “Igor” instead of ‘YOU”?

“The” is typed instead of “They” or “The” instead of “Then”—either surely causes an English teacher to cringe.

Developers are trying to fix bugs in Autocorrect and post solutions that developers understand but users, not so much. One post to illustrate the problem posted: “i wasn’t wondering why, and if there i am fix available.” And then showed the correct typing: “I was wondering why, and if there is a fix available.”

So the constant reminder I take away from such tweedledee and tweedledum bickering is “Double and triple check your text message before you send; cheek the tweet before you tweedle.

--Nelda Curtiss is a retired college professor who enjoys writing and fine arts. Contact her at [email protected]