spellaprop /spel-a-prop/ n. - A computer
spellchecker induced malapropism where, like the act of
confusing words that are similar in sound, words that are similar in
appearance are inadvertently substituted for one another.
Beware - This is a very insidious quirk in computer software spellcheckers that causes a malapropism to be
accidentally introduced into one's writing. Occasionally, a
spellchecker will suggest a replacement word that, when glanced at quickly, looks the the misspelled word, but is actually a completely different word.
If you are rushed, you will probably accept that recommended change. Thus, inserting the "spellaprop" into your document. The spellchecker will, of course, ignore this new error on subsequent passes because, though contextually
inappropriate, the replacement word is spelled correctly. So, if you do not catch this error when proofreading your document, you will appear stupid,
ignorant, or at best careless, to your readers.
Examples:
A misspelling of the word "edition" causes the spellchecker to suggest the replacement word "addition".
A misspelling of the word "partition" causes the spellchecker to suggest the replacement word "portion".
A misspelling of the word "revelation" causes the spellchecker to suggest the replacement word "revolution".
