This morning, I received a business email from one of our company associates. This would be a professional marketer who works with my company. The email was literally riddled with spelling, grammatical and punctuation errors. It made me cross-eyed just trying to read it. It was barely comprehensible. It was embarrassing! I was embarrassed for him, that this working professional couldn't take the time to use a spell-checker, which is a sad commentary in and of itself.
Why did our society stop caring about this? When did it become socially acceptable for a working businessman to be unable to write properly? Honestly, I see emails like this, and I can't repress a certain amount of scorn. It automatically makes me feel like I'm dealing with someone uneducated, or at least uncaring.
Good writing skills are supposedly important. I wish we could take out the 'supposedly' there. I mean, doesn't the business world (and most of the rest of the world too, right?) function on good communication? Which is being severely hindered by the texting generation, and the utterly blase attitude toward anything remotely resembling educated thought.
Reader, I plead with you. Don't fall prey. Use good writing skills. At the very least, please employ your spell checker. It would do us all a world of good.
Notes About Wilmington, MA
2 years ago
4 Additional Hiccups:
I completely agree with you! I can't tell you how many times I see grammatical errors at my work - especially on resumes that people hand in when they're applying for a job! You'd think they'd want to make an intelligent impression! There are a few common mistakes that make me grind my teeth, but it's hard to see so many of them in one place! And people wonder why communication breaks down. We can't even communicate in our own language! (Glad to see new posts, by the way! I've missed them.)
I agree with you completely. We may no longer know how to spell words due to the omnipresence of spell-check that I can't even imagine not using it. I mean it's right there for everything. I also secretly judge people when they make spelling/grammar mistakes, and am mortified when I make them myself. I also try to avoid using texting shorthand as much as possible, spelling out words and using the proper punctuation.
I think a casual email is a venue for forgiveable mistakes. After all, they are normally written so quickly... on the other hand, a business email should be proof-read before hitting the irrevocable SEND button.
Anything I actually send to the printer I feel responsible for ensuring good grammar, useage, and format. I'd hate to have evidence of carelessness!
For the record, I think online articles and blog posts should be considered as professional as print media, and proofed as such, so I try to give discreet feedback... so Val, check third paragraph, third line, tense of 'functions'. Nothing personal. ;)
Ah! The mortification that Gregory mentioned above just flooded through my system. Of all places to make such an error!! *immediately goes to edit post*
Incidentally, I agree about the difference between personal and business. However, out of personal preference I tend to also avoid "texting lingo" with the exception of an occasional 'lol'.
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