LynAK

http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/11/1...l/12hours.html

Check out this article that recently appeared in the New York Times. Lots of good information for travelers to Sydney.

Neil_Oz

Thanks, LynAK - good article, and everything was going well until the writer spelled the national airline's name 'Quantas'. OK, I guess I'm being picky, but I do wonder why this happens so often. Given that the perpetrators have usually seen the name on the company website, or the side of a plane, is it a form of dyslexia, I wonder?

johhj_au

there is a certain eastern suburbs bias as well...probably expected from a new yorker.

untamed northern shore...lol.

Toucan2

It's because in the US q is always followed by u. In fact, when I just tried to type q alone right now I automatically typed u and had to backspace to leave it all on its own.

Doesn't excuse them from getting it wrong in the NYTimes of all things, but, that is why it happens.

lancefan

Q is always followed by a U in australia as well - except when the letters are actually an acronym - QANTAS is an acronym that stands for Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services.

Toucan2

Yes, I know. But I think it is just such a habit and QANTAS(see, I almost did the U again and I KNOW it's QANTAS!)is not an airline spelling that is going to be on the tip of the finger for most North Americans. I think you can also blame the fact that proper proofreading is a skill that is falling by the wayside, probably because of the rise and domination of spell-checkers.

Hey, I tend to be sensitive about proper spellings as well (my given name is unusually spelled) so I understand why it would drive Neil nuts. Just trying to give a "why it happens" reply not excuse it.

Neil_Oz

I suppose it was the fact that it appeared in "the journal of record" that surprised me a little. Toucan, I take your point, but then the staff of the NY Times travel section aren't exactly "most Americans" - especially as the writer would have had ample opportunity to see the name emblazoned all over Sydney Airport. But hey, it's possible he/she got it right and the "u" was inserted by a subeditor.

The problem is actually pretty widespread on Fodors, and we're not talking about high school kids here, we're talking about a population that's predominantly middle-class and educated to tertiary level. Perhaps it's the product of an educational fad which taught children that self-expression is more important than tiresome stuff like spelling and grammar.

Maybe I'll get over my irritation at seeing people write "nite" instead of "night" (presumably to save the exhausting effort of typing that one extra letter), and the inability to spell "itinerary", and to distinguish between "sites" and "sights", and so on. But I'll probably be thinking about it next time I fly Quantas between Sidney and Aukland.

Toucan2

You're killing me

I did once threaten to fire a student worker if she spelled my name incorrectly one more time.

margo_oz

go, Neil!!!!

Bokhara

johhj: Now you know why we have that convenient opening bridge on the main entrance to "god's country" .... keeps out the "farangs"

pat_woolford

Was also surprised to see no mention of anything north of Middle Harbour - never realised how convenient and useful the Spit Bridge really is, Bokhara.

Neil_Oz

I can't see that it serves much of a purpose. Even when the roadway is open you can grow old and die waiting to cross it.

pat_woolford

Lovely view while you're waiting though Neil! Rather be stuck there than on the Parramatta Rd on a summer's arvo.

AndrewDavid

john_j,

is that untamed w]North Shore because that's where you live?

A/D