# Mail spelling dictionary is a joke



## karavite (Apr 28, 2002)

Mail would be a far more useful program if it had better spelling. I am amazed at how many times it misses common words - for example, just today I was using "surreal" in a note and Mail marked it as mispelled. I haven't kept track of all the times this happens, but it is very frequent. I can't tell you how many times Mail spelling does not suggest the correct spelling on other common words - it seems to miss more often than hit. Since C & G SpellChecker for OS X is not yet out, I some times go to Word to verify my spelling in mail. This is absurd! 

In addition, the spell items in the Edit menu are labeled very poorly "Check spelling" suggests an action, not a toggle. "Check" is a verb right? "Spelling" does what "Check Spelling" should do. If you follow UI conventions from Apple or anyone else, I think there is strong evidence that the presentation of Mail spelling menu items is goofed up. Hire back some Apple usability people and I'm sure they would agree!

I really don't see how Apple screwed this up. This is UI design 101. Apple had it down in ClarisWorks/AppleWorks - the best spell checker I ever used in a word processing application (not to mention its awesome thesaurus). If you don't fix the UI part of Mail's spellcheck, at least load the darn dictionary with some more words!

P.S. How about a "Paste special" option while you are at it.


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## symphonix (Apr 28, 2002)

What stuns me is that the spell-checker doesn't recognise Apple-buzzwords like iTunes and iMac. (At least, until I used the learn function) Other than the occassional blooper though, it works pretty well. Mind you, I am using Australian English, so the dictionary is probably different.
I do see your point on the Spell/Check Spelling thing.


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## scruffy (Apr 29, 2002)

You might want to look into an alternate spell check service.  I use Object Farm Spell:
http://www.objectfarm.org/Activities/Software/ObjectFarmSpell/index.html
which is a nice one, IMO


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## Bluefusion (May 1, 2002)

Try CocoAspell. It's a much better version of the systemwide Cocoa dictionary, and it's just fabulous. I can't understand how anyone can survive with the normal Apple-supplied dictionary...


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## Red Phoenix (May 1, 2002)

I'll second cocoAspell. It can be configured to filter HTML, TeX, URLs, and e-mail addresses, and also set suggest corrections based on if you are a fast typist and just type things in the wrong order, or if you are a bad speller. It is amazing.


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## karavite (May 1, 2002)

Thanks! I think this is what I need. 

Still, no excuse for Apple on what they gave us in Mail.


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## nkuvu (May 1, 2002)

I haven't tried CocoAspell, so I can't compare it very well.  But I don't have problems with the built in dictionary, either.  'Learn Spelling' only has to be done once...

I have yet to use the menu commands -- all dictionary access has been through the context menu so far...


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## karavite (May 1, 2002)

nkuvu

You are probably a much better speller than I am!


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## karavite (May 1, 2002)

Dumb old me - I installed aspell, but I see nothing different in Mail - what am I missing here please? "Surreal" is still identified as incorrect in Mail...


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## Bluefusion (May 1, 2002)

Go to System Preferences -- > Spelling  , which should be a new preference pane at the bottom. It is here that you can configure the dictionary that is used by OS X.


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## Bluefusion (May 1, 2002)

oddly enough, "Surreal" still appears misspelled in this dictionary as well. Huh...


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## gigapet (Sep 18, 2003)

Hi there. Can anyone tell me how to switch the dictionary in mail from US English to International English? I'm getting bored of changing 'center' to 'centre'. I can't find this 'System preferences > spelling' pane.


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## hulkaros (Sep 18, 2003)

cocoAspell here too! 

Surreal, in all Cocoa apps, spelled correctly too!


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## pds (Sep 18, 2003)

heh heh heh,

eudora knows how to spell surreal without help  
[/end eudora plug]

the cocoAspell link above doesn't work, this one should

http://www-ciir.cs.umass.edu/~leouski/cocoaspell/


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## gigapet (Sep 18, 2003)

Does anyone know how to change the dictionary in mail?


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