Word for Mac keeps switching to US spelling!(And lets be honest Word on Mac is a bitrubbish)...

[findtom]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

Hi,

OK I'm new to Mac but I've been using PC's and MS software for 15 years. However, my Mac version of word is rubbish. I have changed to default language to UK (that took a while to do I can tell you), and I've gone into the spelling option and changed it from the default Eng (AUS) to Eng (UK), however when ever Word runs a spell check it defaults back to US spelling (it says Spelling English US in the spelling window).

Oddly if I try to change the dictionary, which defaults to Eng (AUS) it changes back to Eng(AUS)!! word only "seems" to stay in UK dictionary if I click custom dictionary and then click UK???

The thing is I'm writing an essay that's marked on spelling. So this is even more of a pain than normal.

Please help its driving me insane.....

 

[CyberTaz]

Well, the fundamental proofing operations in Mac Word are almost identical
to that of Win Word, but the whole thing is a little deceptive

It sounds like the problem you're having may be caused by text in your
document being formatted as a language other than that which you expect it
to be checked against. Try Cmd+A to Select All, go to Tools> Language to
select the language you want it to be, then run the spell checker again.

Language is a formatting attribute in Word similar to bold, italic, etc., so
when you check spelling the checker recognizes differences in Language
formatting on the fly. IOW, it compares the text being checked based on its
Language formatting using the appropriate vocabulary list for that language.

There is only one Main Dictionary used by Word & it contains everything (all
languages) the Spell Check feature uses regardless of anything having to do
with Language. That dictionary can't be edited. Also, changing the default
Language [Tools> Language (Language Choice), DEFAULT] does nothing but
designate the default language formatting to be used in *new* documents
created from then on. It does that by modifying the Normal paragraph style
which any styles based on Normal then inherit. Existing documents aren't
affected unless you select the text then pick a language or modify the style
applied to that text in that document [or apply a different style that calls
for some other language formatting].

Custom Dictionaries ‹ those to which you add your own list of words ‹ can be
designated as whatever language you wish. When you spell check, those Custom
Dictionaries are also employed [in addition to the Main Dictionary] as
needed when text formatted as that language is detected. Any Custom
Dictionary designated as "None" are language-independent & will be used for
all text in any spell check. The only thing affected when you designate a
"default" dictionary is which Custom Dictionary terms will be added to when
you click "ADD" during a spell checking session.

More detailed information is available here:

http://word.mvps.org/Mac/SpellCheck.html

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac