Tuesday 16 October 2012

Words Google doesn't know

There can't be very many words that the almost omnipotent and omniscient Google doesn't know - or so you would assume.

But I have noticed that some of the terms that I commonly use when blogging on Google's own (admirable) product, Blogger, are not known to Google's own spelling checker (and yes, blogging is one of them, as are blog, blogspot and Blogger).

Amazingly, Google is another, whether used as a verb or a noun.  It doesn't discriminate only against itself and its own product, Youtube.  One of its great rivals Facebook is also flagged as an error, as are well known internet memes such as Wikipedia, Skype and Reddit.

Technical terms such as rss, podcast, homeopathy, do not pass the test but perhaps that is understandable.  Surprisingly neither do skeptic nor skepticism (which in the spirit of modern language are increasingly spelt this way in UK English).  I can accept that it does not like words coming from other languages, such as qu'ran, kitman and taqiyyah, but the common word offensive also gets flagged, with the strange and surely non-existent alternative of 'offencive' being offered!

It can be forgiven for noticing people's names like Dawkins.

But there is one case where it should definitely be congratulated!  It objects to Skepchick, and I have to say that I can only agree with it.  I object to that horrible name too.

Its just wrong!


You might have noticed some related posts:
Paula Kirby on feminism in 'the movement'
The Watson inconsistency and the real outrage!

Small note for the sake of completeness.  I use the English (UK) setting, and my claims are correct on the day of writing.

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