Office Settings & Configuration

How to Add Aboriginal Australian Place Names to Word Spell Check

Khadija Khan Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to prevent the spelling checker from marking traditional Aboriginal Australian place names as incorrect.

How to Add Aboriginal Australian Place Names to Microsoft Spell Check

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Typing documents containing traditional Australian place names such as Naarm, Gimuy, Gulumoerrgin, and Boorloo.
Observed behavior: The English (Australia) spelling checker does not recognize these words and flags them with red squiggly lines as spelling errors.

Before you start

Ensure your document's proofing language is correctly set to English (Australia) so that standard English words are checked accurately before you begin adding new custom terms.

Solution 1Recommended

Add Words Directly to the Custom Dictionary in Word

The quickest workaround is to manually add unrecognized place names to your local Microsoft dictionary as you type, preventing them from being flagged in the future.

By adding a word to your custom dictionary, you are instructing Microsoft Office applications on your specific device to recognize the term as valid spelling.

Locate the flagged word

Open your document in Microsoft Word and find the Aboriginal Australian place name that is flagged with a red squiggly underline.

Open the context menu

Right-click on the unrecognized word to bring up the spelling suggestions context menu.

Select Add to Dictionary

Click on "Add to Dictionary" from the list of options. The word will instantly lose the red underline and will be recognized as correctly spelled in all future documents on your device.

Add Words Directly to the Custom Dictionary in Word

Universal Office Recognition: Adding a word to the dictionary in Microsoft Word also applies it to other Office applications like Excel and PowerPoint on the same computer.

Solution 2

Submit a Language-Support Suggestion to Microsoft

Request official language support for Aboriginal Australian place names in future Microsoft updates so they are included by default.

Use WPS Office to Easily Manage Custom Dictionaries

WPS Office provides a highly customizable and user-friendly spell-check feature, allowing you to easily build your own custom dictionary with Aboriginal Australian place names and work without constant spell-check interruptions.

1. Open Options: Open WPS Writer, click on the "Menu" button at the top left corner, and select "Options" at the bottom of the dropdown list.
2. Navigate to Spell Check: In the Options dialog box, click on the "Spell Check" tab from the left-hand menu.
3. Manage Custom Dictionaries: Click on the "Custom Dictionaries" button. Here you can add, edit, or import a text list of Aboriginal place names in bulk.
4. Apply Settings: Click "OK" to apply your new dictionary settings and enjoy a seamless writing experience.

Seamlessly add custom terminology, indigenous names, and regional spellings to your local dictionary.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formats, ensuring your text remains perfectly formatted.Free, lightweight, and features a familiar interface for distraction-free writing.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't the default English (Australia) dictionary include these traditional names?

Standard software dictionaries rely on generalized linguistic databases that often lag behind in adopting indigenous, traditional, or newly recognized regional place names. Official integration usually requires multiple user-submitted feedback requests to Microsoft.

Can I share my custom dictionary containing these place names with my colleagues?

Yes. In Windows, custom dictionary files are usually saved as .dic files in the AppData directory. You can copy this file and share it with colleagues, who can then import it into their own Office settings via File > Options > Proofing > Custom Dictionaries.

Will I have to add these words again if I use a different computer?

Yes. Custom dictionaries are stored locally on the device you are using. If you switch to a different computer or use Office online, you will either need to manually add the words again or import your custom .dic file to the new machine.

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