I can't check spelling or grammar in a language other than English (U.S.)

[befuddled]

and I HAVE installed the proofing tools. The Language option in the Tools menu is dimmed no matter what I try.

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Can you mention a few things you have tried, and what happened?

What version of Word?

Tools | Language is *greyed out*, as in you can see the Language entry
but cannot select it from the Tools menu? That's a new one (if it were
missing entirely, I'd know the answer, but dimmed?).

Uh, for a greyed-out Language, try testing the Normal template for
corruption, following the instructions here:
http://word.mvps.org/mac/MacWordNormal.html

 

[John McGhie]

The only time I have seen that selection go gray is if there is no DOCUMENT
open!

Please respond to Daiya's question with as much detail as you can. We
simply don't know enough about what you are doing to be able to hazard a
guess here.

Cheers

and I HAVE installed the proofing tools. The Language option in the Tools menu
is dimmed no matter what I try.

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Sydney, Australia. S33°53'34.20 E151°14'54.50
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[befuddled]

I'm running a Home and Student Edition of Office 2008. I did a custom install and installed everything except Entourage.

I've checked my normal template (renamed and recreated upon restart) and no change. However, I have noticed that the Language menu item is only greyed out when I'm in publishing layout view. I've only just noticed because I've only used that view (that's why I upgraded). So, I suppose it could be a restriction of this view (if I switch view it enables the menu item, but when I switch back again, it's disabled once more).

Thanks for your help. Since I have a workaround now, it's not a problem, just an oddity.

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Ah, great clue. I'm seeing here that Tools | Language will dim if I
have the outline of a text box selected, but is active when I select
text. I'm also finding that it was pretty difficult to insert a default
template in Publishing view, and then select the dummy text.

I think it might be confusion over what is selected at the time you
check--can you be sure you are selecting some text that you typed first,
and then see if Tools | Language is active?

 

[befuddled]

Yes, you're right. It all depends on whether there's text actually selected. OK, so I can understand when it's enabled, but it's not exactly user-friendly. For example, if I select all elements in the document, the menu item's not enabled.

Mystery solved. Thanks.