then/than branched from Select more then one element for mask?

[Kukurykus]

Why do you use 'then' instead of 'than' word. I noticed in chats with people they do it constantly, so not just single time by mistake but each time there is need to use 'than' word. However I don't speak english well that little change sounds terrible. Is there something about this language I don't know I should use 'then' instad of 'than' like others?

I never noticed anyone says 'Thenk You' but always 'Thank You'. It's little different as there's not 'thenk' word; still it's similar.

What is really wired, Google Translator although distinguishes single use of 'then' and 'than', if 'then' is used in sentence it translates it like that was correct 'than'. Even machine like human got the same tendency or in some contries that's good?

[Kukurykus]

Thank you for post Abambo​. Your answers shows that there was nothing wrong in my question as I see you and some other users understood me. I now see that sense of that I meant was taken right way by non-english people like you or D Fosse​ who are more proper to see differences in a foreign language that is natural to use for those who mostly are familiar with from beeing born.

I think that's the main problem, that what understood in no time by you, could be problem for those who seem to be less aware that occurs, and see that mostly as another mistake in type. I'm more to think our first langauges we speak must do this difference if for uncomprehended reason davescm originally saw in my words unrespecful behaviour. Then I was sure english speaking persons can't easily distinguish that difference as anita1390 proved by her reaction that my intention was to blame her for simple typo, what of course had nothing to do with as my thought was deeper.

[MichelBParis]

From a non-native English speaker, which is harder to avoid?

- lost in translation?

- added (involuntarily) in translation?

- distorted (unvoluntarily) in  translation?

For instance, I try hard to refrain from humour or joking. Bad experience even in this forum. I am not sure either that jokes in images like in the thread 'Things we all can refer to' are correctly unserstood depending on cultures.

Yesterday, I advised a non English speaking user to ask his question in his French native language. Why? Using the translator will already make English readers very aware of the risks of translation, so already less risks that your intent be misunderstood. The reason to use one's own language is that the reader will use the automatic translation and take more time to understand and possibly check.

When I want to answer posts in German, I trust my own translation more thant the automatic one, but I would not try to answer in German (not practiced for 15 years...) Generally that works very well.

I am finding that some spelling errors are so common from some native English speaking users that I am starting to follow them:

- It's instead of its,

- many similar pronunciations with different meanings...

[Kukurykus]

True as when I learn correct english and then in practise I see native speakers break rules of their language now I'm bent to think they simply can't see their mistakes as using them every day for years together with other people they forget what is really correct version, so don't care so much anymore about. When I asked why 'then' was used instead of 'than' I was kind of punished for that, since for english native speakers that's only regular mistake like all others, not specific case I indicated. In conclusion that would be better to think twice by them before taking only literally what someone is asking (as here are users from all world).

[JJMack]

IMO English is very hard. It is my native language the only language I know somewhat.  I failed every English course I had to take in school.  I also can not spell well or even be consistent spelling the same word wrongly.  I can not touch type and often peck the wrong key normally one key off.  All my life I had to cope with my failure in these area.  Planet Earth is not a perfect world human minds are not one massive single conscience. I'm sure even the best mind makes mistakes and does not know all there is to know.  One thing I'm very good at is making mistakes. I may have mastered that skill.  I'm always in error recovery.     You are an expert when it come to JavaScript programming.   I only hack at Photoshop and I wrote I find your code very hard to understand because of you advanced coding style.  Communication is not easy  you communicate with computers better than I do.  You need to lighten up with human communication you will not be able to perfect human communication.   I will not do chat except nt Phone I can not type. If I believe my problem may be easy  I may try  chatting on a computer via type.  The then I'll just try my best in forums.  If I can live with my limitations others need to also If they want to communicate with me.  I do quite well with Photoshop.

I work for IBM Research for many years and met the lead programmer doing research on spelling checkers.  I ask him for some help to add routine to check to typo that may be only one key off and also check if work spelt wrong may be spelled by the way sounds.   He was not interested in helping me his program kept giving me a message there is no likely word.  Spell checker need to work on more then just one words.  Typo also often spell valid words that are completely wrong in the current context  such a routine would catch then and than if it knew the English language and grammar.  I find grammar checker intrusive I just make too many mistakes.... I'm slow now as it is....

Your coding irritates me I have to dig hard

[Abambo]

English is easy compared to French and German. Russia adds some level more to the complexity and Chinese is impossiple to gasp if you are not native (I do not know Russia and Chinese but I have some basics as I typeset both languages and I have obvioiusly Chinese and Russian collegues).

But this does not mean that everyone needs to be able to write or read or even speak English perfectly. Looking English TV (news), I undestand what they are saying, but looking an English (American) film, I need to concentrate a lot. It‘s easyer for me in French or German.

For some reason you are MVP and that means that you give valuable advice. As this advice is with typing, I also suppose that you need to write a bunch of good advice. If there is a typing mistake: who cares if the user gets help.

[Abambo]

branched from Select more then one element for mask?

Discussion successfully moved from Photoshop to The Lounge

[jane-e]

I rely on two favorite books by Theodore Bernstein that I bought many years ago:

The Careful Writer

The Careful Writer: Theodore M. Bernstein: Amazon.com: Books

and

Dos, Don'ts & Maybes of English Usage

Do's Don'ts and Maybes of English Language: Theodore Menline Bernstein: 9780812906950: Amazon.com: B...

Theodore Bernstein

TM. Bernstein Dies; Language Authority And Ex‐Times Editor - The New York Times

[jane-e]

Here's another thought, though:

While I love the nuances of the meanings of words, I am very aware that before Webster wrote his dictionary, the meanings (and spellings) of words were fluid. He did not dictate the spellings and definitions; he wrote them as they were at that moment.

Should the definitions and spellings be static just because one man decided to write a dictionary? Maybe not. I've seen several words change meaning over the years. I think my favorite is watching the definition of "literal" morph into "figurative".

lit·er·al·ly

ˈlidərəlē,ˈlitrəlē/adverb

1. adverb: in a literal manner or sense; exactly.
   "the driver took it literally when asked to go straight across the traffic circle"
2. informal: used for emphasis or to express strong feeling while not being literally true.
   "I have received literally thousands of letters"

To me, it is more important to be kind than to use the right word and spell it correctly.

[Kukurykus]

"I've seen several words change meaning over the years." & "(...) be kind than to use the right word and spell it correctly."

I agree, but there was nothing unkind in my question as like I said before I asked that for informative reason - to get to know for ex. is there maybe chance 'then' is already accepted form for 'than' (regarding that you and me actually as well noticed in our posts that some words changes meaning). Too bad altough I explained that even more, the original poster of other theard (where that all started) didn't want to admit she was wrong, impulsively believing in own version. I do not expect anything, if she choose to be unkind to me then she can be, at least I showed enough there's no reason for bad feelings.

[anita1390]

If you believe the comment "I explained that even more, the original poster of other theard (where that all started) didn't want to admit she was wrong, impulsively believing in own version"...

Perhaps what was missed amidst the accusations is my response dated Sept 8th where I agreed to the correct use and well as described it as "a single typo":

[Kukurykus]

I saw that before so that didn't miss amidst other posts, you're naming accusations. Please explain what and which of them?

By "the original poster (...) didn't want to admit she was wrong, impulsively believing in own version" I didn't mean you're not agreed for the fact that was typo, but wrong approach you did towards to me, since when you got what's hiding behind meaning of my question you still didn't want to change your mind about my intention. Knowing truth you rather kept behaviour like there was something wrong you found in my origianl post.

Additionally that post of you was ambigous. In first part you addmited that was typo but then in second part you acted like my question still wasn't fine for you and you considered it for inappriopriate.

Just see the words you used: "so he no longer needed to suffer through struggle/confusion waiting for me to respond"

Neither you responded directly to me (like I was not worth of speaking to), nor you was friendly.

I posted a question on forum and didn't care especially longer will you answer or not, however that would be nice to get answer if I asked for something. I was not waiting, but forum messge informed me of new post that made that question again important. Saying 'suffer through struggle' expresses your unfriendly behaviour I didn't meet you would tell anyone else. If you were kind and cool with my explanation you wouldn't be offensive anymore.

"Even so, since then, Kukurykus posted several posts totaling a couple hundred words on my single typo, while every single post from him has multiple typos."

You still don't talk directly to me, but talk about me in third party. Why don't you act so towards to Abambo or davescm? I didn't do nothing you could be unkind. I asked a question to you, not someone else, but instead of saying something back to me you used my words to make fun of 😕 You even didn't answer for any other questions or refered to any other thoughts I wrote ealier to just ensure me you don't have problem with me longer? That only shows how much disrespectful person you are to me. Why do you act so to someone who didn't do harm to you but asked NORMAL question, and nicely explained what that meant to avoid conflict?

I also don't understand what you appologize davescm for. There nothing happened to him from my side. More likely I met his lack of acceptance to my curiosity, and additionally that I kinda tried to make something that I completely did not. Then he fortunatelly answered to my post - gave short answer where it seemed he understood that anything I was saying to you wasn't because of my arrogance. The only person who still can't swallow it is you, as I don't see you are trying to be friendly to me while I am open for. 'accusations' in your last post made me to think still so...

'Expect TYPOS from me in the future: If it is upsetting, while you are allowed endless typos, then please remember DO NOT READ MY POSTS.'

Then you finish your post like you again totaly ignored sense of my earlier posts where I explained I'm not talking about simple typos, and nothing I said was to make you sad. Look at again to last sentence where you say that kind of your post may upset me - or anyone else - and give clear message to not follow you. You act there unfriendly way, with ignoracne to everything I said, where I said few times I'm not foe of you and the first question I asked was taken by you wrong way. Why can't you accept it or just say that you understand it, to mainly start acting with respect?

Also that big image with comment where you claim I say of your typos while doing mine own? Can't you finally see that my question wasn't of making typos by you, but tendency of using interchangeably two words, that I wanted to find why that happens not only in your case, but generally why this is so common. You said in fact that is typo in that post, but at same time you was refereing to article that stated something that's opposed to consider that as typo. Also character of your post showed that you still don't understand my explanation, or you don't want to accept it as perhaps you already publicly stated something differnt to change your mind.

You don't want to answer for nature of that typo then don't do it but why you have instead / at same time to be this kind of unkind person? If it's your nature to be like it, just say it you can't behave normally so I'll accept your otherness.