A spell-checker is the piece of software that checks your spelling — the thing that underlines an unknown word in red and offers you a list of near-misses to choose from. Every word processor, email program and phone keyboard has one built in.

A spell-checker is the piece of software that checks your spellingspell-checker是檢查拼字的軟體 — the thing that underlines an unknown word in red就是那個會把不認識的字用紅線畫起來的東西 and offers you a list of near-misses to choose from並提供一串相近的字讓你選。Every word processor, email program and phone keyboard每一個文書處理軟體、email程式和手機鍵盤 has one built in都內建了一個。

The difference between spell-checker and spell-check is small but real: spell-checker names the tool, always a thing ("this spell-checker doesn't know British spellings"), while spell-check can be either the tool or the action, and can also be a verb. So spell-checker is the safer word when you mean the program itself, and you would not say "I spell-checkered it" — the verb is always spell-check. Spelling of the word itself varies: spell-checker and spellchecker both appear, hyphen optional.

The difference between spell-checker and spell-check is small but realspell-checker和spell-check的差別不大但確實存在: spell-checker names the tool, always a thingspell-checker指的是那個工具，永遠是名詞 ("this spell-checker doesn't know British spellings")（「this spell-checker doesn't know British spellings」）, while spell-check can be either the tool or the action而spell-check可以是工具、也可以是動作, and can also be a verb也可以當動詞用。So spell-checker is the safer word when you mean the program itself所以當你指的是那個程式本身時，用spell-checker比較保險, and you would not say "I spell-checkered it"你不會說「I spell-checkered it」 — the verb is always spell-check動詞永遠是spell-check。Spelling of the word itself varies這個字本身的拼法也有變化: spell-checker and spellchecker both appearspell-checker和spellchecker兩種都看得到, hyphen optional連字號可加可不加。

How it actually works is worth knowing, because it explains its limits. It holds a dictionary list and compares each string you type against that list. If your string is on the list, it says nothing. If it is not, it marks it.

How it actually works is worth knowing它實際上怎麼運作是值得了解的, because it explains its limits因為這能解釋它的極限。It holds a dictionary list它裡面存著一份字典清單 and compares each string you type against that list然後把你打的每一串字跟這份清單比對。If your string is on the list如果你打的字在清單上, it says nothing它就不會有反應。If it is not如果不在, it marks it它就會標記出來。

That means two kinds of trouble. It marks correct words it simply doesn't have — people's names, Taiwanese place names, new slang, technical terms — and those red lines are false alarms. And it stays quiet about wrong words that happen to exist: write "quite" for "quiet", or "manager" for "manger", and the spell-checker approves both.

That means two kinds of trouble.這代表有兩種問題。It marks correct words it simply doesn't have它會把自己清單裡沒有、但其實拼對的字標記出來 — people's names, Taiwanese place names, new slang, technical terms像人名、台灣地名、新流行語、專業術語 — and those red lines are false alarms這些紅線都是誤判。And it stays quiet about wrong words that happen to exist而它對碰巧是別的正確字的錯字則會保持沉默: write "quite" for "quiet", or "manager" for "manger"把「quiet」打成「quite」、或把「manger」打成「manager」, and the spell-checker approves bothspell-checker兩個都會放行。

It also needs to be set to the right variety of English, or it will keep objecting to colour, or to color, depending which way it is pointed. Most spell-checkers let you add words to a personal list, which is what you should do with your own name instead of ignoring the underline forever.

It also needs to be set to the right variety of English它還需要被設定成正確的英文版本, or it will keep objecting to colour, or to color不然它就會一直對colour或color挑毛病, depending which way it is pointed看它被設成哪一種。Most spell-checkers let you add words to a personal list大部分spell-checker都能讓你把字加進個人清單裡, which is what you should do with your own name你應該對自己的名字這麼做, instead of ignoring the underline forever而不是永遠對那條底線視而不見。