ham radio shows michigan
The following sentence is from an e-mail I received one day. Can you decipher its meaning?
If am sat would be the primary mode of communications than that info about antennas could be strikin from tests?
This is a bit unfair, because you most likely don’t know much about radio equipment and the tests given for an amateur radio license. Even so, it’s quickly apparent how poorly this message is written. (He’s asking whether the questions pertaining to amateur satellite systems should be stricken from the exams. Get it?) How about this gem:
i live in michigan, and i can’t seen to find the people that administer the exams for amuture radio licences. do you know how i can got in touch with someone in michigan about the exam? thanks a lot
These examples may seem extreme, but they are not. Open 10 e-mail messages, and at least two will be written like these. It gets worse. Add in text speak, and you get a real doozy of a message. You know what I mean:
ill cu b4 i go to skool. Ur shoes is cool! lol!
What’s happened to our society? Why can’t people write intelligently?
I first spotted sloppy English in the mid ’90s. I signed up with AOL a couple times primarily to check out its message board system. It seemed lie a neat idea until you started reading the comments floating back and forth. That same lazy, inarticulate writing style that we see today was prevalent with many of AOL’s users back then: all lower case, no punctuation, poor grammar. I often wondered: Didn’t those kids (many of the messages appeared to be written by teenagers) ever proofread their stuff before hitting “Send”?
Unfortunately, it appears that we as a society are condoning this behavior today. While young people are the greatest instigators, we’re seeing more of this type of writing crop up in business e-mails. It’s as if business executives have given up trying to enforce basic rules and protocol.
Some people argue that it’s too difficult to type properly on a cell phone or Blackberry. If that’s the case, the person shouldn’t be using that device to send business-oriented messages. Find some way–most likely with a laptop–to type the message properly. Remember that your reputation is on the line every time you communicate. Everything you say and write speaks volumes about you. If you send out lazy and unprofessional-looking text, that’s the way you will be perceived.
Apologists for this behavior whine that to uphold standards is tantamount to unleashing the Grammar Police. Nonsense. Proud business people–indeed, anyone who cherishes proper English–know that they’re only abiding by the rules. Maintaining high standards shows a level of professionalism that customers deserve and expect.
Yes, the English language is somewhat flexible: idioms and jargon are added every year after entering the popular lexicon. But to totally renounce the fundamental principles of the language merely for convenience smacks of poor judgment on the part of corporate America. Gen Y’ers and others who refuse to abide by society’s standards need to be retrained – or shown the door.
Tom Fuszard has been writing professionally for more than 15 years. Writing well is a topic that is dear to his heart. In addition to coaching clients on their writing skills, Tom blogs regularly on the topic. Learn some easy ways to improve your copy fast. Feel unsure of yourself when you have to give a talk? Check out his tips for a successful presentation. You may contact Tom via tom@supremecom.biz
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