Unclear on the concept - A story
I used to volunteer once a week at a local public library. It was a small library and I soon got to the point where I could do anything there, including manning the counter, helping with reference questions and even weeding shelves for out-of-date or damage books that needed replacement. It was great fun, and I put in over 2000 hours volunteering.
One day, I was at the checkout counter when the phone rang. I picked it up and identified the library. A woman on the other end said, "I need to know how to spell a word correctly." "OK, I said. What's the word." Very deliberately, she said, 'HERMORFODITE." So, I spelled out, "hermaphrodite" for her. "NO! That's not right. The word is "Hermorfodite." I explained that she was using a common mispronunciation for the word, often used by machinists when referring to a type of caliper used for taking measurements. I then explained the origin of the word, referring to the mythological characters, Hermes and Aphrodite." Then, I said the word correctly and spelled it again for her. "That's not right," the woman said. "I want to talk to your supervisor."
Nonplussed, I went and got the librarian, quickly explained the problem and handed her the phone. The woman who called listened to the librarian spell the word properly and said, loudly enough that I could hear it, "What is wrong with you people? I want to know how to spell "HERMORFODITE!" Then, she hung up.
I wonder why she called in the first place...clearly, she did not want the correct spelling. It was a strange sort of request for information.
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