Same 12.04 LTS, I looked over the source code and found that sections of "gedit-spell-checker" reference that it was modified from "gtkspell 2.0.2". At gtkspell.sourceforge.net/ChangeLog references in a later version:
"version 2.0.11 (2005-05-27): * Re-enable apostrophe word-breaking workarounds (GNOME bug #97545). * Additional translations (see po/ChangeLog)." This seems that they have found a fix for gtkspell and may help to solve the problem in "gedit-spell-checker" The relevent part of the code is: <code> static gboolean gtkspell_text_iter_forward_word_end(GtkTextIter *i) { GtkTextIter iter; /* heuristic: * if we're on an singlequote/apostrophe and * if the next letter is alphanumeric, * this is an apostrophe. */ if (!gtk_text_iter_forward_word_end(i)) return FALSE; if (gtk_text_iter_get_char(i) != '\'') return TRUE; iter = *i; if (gtk_text_iter_forward_char(&iter)) { if (g_unichar_isalpha(gtk_text_iter_get_char(&iter))) { return (gtk_text_iter_forward_word_end(i)); } } return TRUE; } </code> Which it looks like someone has already adapted into a workaround here https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=131576 Looks like It may have been abandoned, since the fix existed since 2004, and the bug since around 2002, https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=97545 10 years later... ** Bug watch added: GNOME Bug Tracker #97545 https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=97545 -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Desktop Packages, which is subscribed to gedit in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/36227 Title: gedit doesn't handle apostrophes correctly when spell-checking Status in Light-Weight Text Editor for Gnome: In Progress Status in “gedit” package in Ubuntu: Triaged Bug description: Open gedit, type in "wouldn't" without the quotes, and either enable Autocheck spelling (Tools menu) or use Check Spelling to open the dialogue. Gedit suggests replacing the "wouldn" part with "wouldn't", which is performed, would yield "wouldn't't". Also works with "doesn't", "couldn't", "shouldn't" etc. and anything where the contracted form adds letters to the original word, i.e. "should not" becomes "shouldn't". Obviously "shouldn" isn't a word... but you know what I'm getting at :) Apostrophes seem to be considered as the end of a word, like whitespace. $ dpkg -l | grep gedit ii gedit 2.12.0-0ubuntu1 light-weight text editor ii gedit-common 2.12.0-0ubuntu1 light-weight text editor support files http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=131576: http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=131576 To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/gedit/+bug/36227/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages Post to : desktop-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp