Our Generation Can’t Spell. But Does It Matter?

Technology has destroyed our generation’s ability to spell. With spell check, word processors, and search engines, there is no need to spend time learning how to spell when you can navigate to the correct spelling of a word in seconds.

As people begin to rely more heavily on these correctors, communication becomes faster. And in the mind’s of many, faster communication is more efficient communication.

The meme above displays the Gen Z mindset perfectly. Nowadays, everything is about how fast you can do it and how flawless it can be. Why think about grammar and spelling when a computer or a phone can do it for you?

As Jeff Grabill talks about in his piece titled “The Writing Lives of College Students,” word processors such as Microsoft Word are most valued compared to other common technologies. The data from the study can be seen in the graphic below.

This information was published over ten years ago. Since then, Gen Z members have only grown more and more attached to word processing systems, allowing for easy editing and more importantly, instant spell check.

And like with all generational behavior changes, one question still remains unanswered; does it matter that we can’t spell?

Some may argue that lacking spelling skills encourages laziness and hinders future learning experiences. But I think that overall, our generation’s reliance on tools like spell check doesn’t really matter.

Everyone has begun to incorporate automatic editing assistance and other technologies into all forms of communication. And this means that companies, families, and everything else have begun to communicate via the same technologies. These aids are encouraged in almost all settings. And with that being the case, an instance where spell check isn’t available is rare.

Our generation may not be able to spell every word in the dictionary, but we can send emails in seconds, count the the number of words in an essay with the click of a button, and easily check the grammar and spelling of everything we type.

And in a more abstract sense, think about any famous writer–famous songwriters like John Legend, famous authors like J.K. Rowling, famous speech writers, famous poets, famous journalists. These individuals no longer need to worry about the logistics of their writing. They have to focus more on the execution and the content itself. This allows for greater creativity and stronger, deeper meanings within different medias.

Our generation can’t spell. But I don’t think we are any worse off than others. We are a population of technological reliance, and so we must accept that and use it to our advantage.