Not long ago, a man contacted me through my personal author website to inform me of a misspelled word: “I thought you would like to know you misspelled the word ‘likeable’. Silly mistakes are a pet peeve of mine and they can ruin your website’s credibility.” The man then went on to push an online spelling website/tool at me, claiming I needed it.
In truth, the mistake was made by the man. I hadn’t misspelled the word. I’d simply—and correctly—used the right form of the word for my country and readers.
Likable, which means “having qualities that bring about a favorable regard,” is the preferred spelling in American English.
Likeable is the preferred spelling in British English.
Furthermore, Merriam-Webster (the primary dictionary used by professional proofreaders) lists likable first, then likeable as a variant choice.
Besides the obvious promotional slant of the man’s comment, the fact that he’d placed a period outside the quotation marks also stood out to me. Again, such usage is not considered correct in American English—but in British English, it’s perfectly acceptable.
Depending where you live, grammar rules may differ in certain instances, so it’s necessary to utilize human intelligence and not rely solely on spell-check programs. Professional proofreaders should know the difference between American English and British English.
Last of all, it’s rather rude to call someone out on an error unless you know what you’re talking about (and even then, there’s no need for rudeness). Everyone makes mistakes occasionally, even proofreaders. And the likable ones will not be condescending. Professional proofreaders do not view clients’ written errors as “silly mistakes” and “pet peeves.” Authors write thousands upon thousands of words on a regular basis—of course some typos and mistakes will slip through! As a proofreader, I’m always honored to be entrusted to identify and correct such details.
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