Good spelling still matters

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by Rob Lister

I agree mostly but with a quibble: some folks (young teens?) appear to use this form of writing intentionally, even when it would be easier to just 'spell it out'. So, more like Pig Latin for some. "fOR TEh LULZ" crowd. I know you've met them.

Youngsters always want to find a way to rebel, and adopting their own "language" is common enough. Thing is, it doesn't last, because no one outside of their circles mistake "cool" for "proper." Sooner or later, when they find they want to integrate into society (say, to get a job), the cool rebellion tropes are given up. They won't be using "fOR TEh LULZ" on a resume, unless they just don't want to be hired.

[Joshua.P]

No one is using it on a resume though. It's called text speak and the vast majority of teens only use it when personal messaging. I think it's a little bit of a stretch to say they do it to "rebel". That's just ignorant.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Joshua.P

No one is using it on a resume though. It's called text speak and the vast majority of teens only use it when personal messaging. I think it's a little bit of a stretch to say they do it to "rebel". That's just ignorant.

I do think, though, the standards of written English are declining. Recent graduate entrants into the company where I work seem, on the whole, to have pretty shocking standards of written English.

[Joshua.P]

Well I think that's a reflection of our school system. School students basically stop learning spelling/grammar in year 7 now. The rest of school life is about "analysing" the themes in Romeo and Juliet or whatever.

[Rob Lister]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I do think, though, the standards of written English are declining. Recent graduate entrants into the company where I work seem, on the whole, to have pretty shocking standards of written English.

Is it possible that your standards are just getting higher? That you're becoming an increasingly grumpy old fart? Did you really yell at that intern telling him to get out of your yard?

[HarryT]

Undoubtedly I'm a grumpy old fart, but I still maintain my view about the poor standards of written English among the yoof of today .

[Phogg]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Undoubtedly I'm a grumpy old fart, but I still maintain my view about the poor standards of written English among the yoof of today .

I quit according academia a rodent's fecal ejecting oriface of authority on the matter of spelling when they decided to change catsup into ketchup. It was just too hard for those poor english Phd types to remember.

I don't even think they put their pants on different than I do anymore.

If it doesn't matter for the denizens of the ivory tower, then it doesn't matter for anyone else.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Phogg

If it doesn't matter for the denizens of the ivory tower, then it doesn't matter for anyone else.

Regrettably, it does matter to our customers. If we were to send reports to them written in the manner that most of our recent entrants produce, they wouldn't remain our customers much longer.

Good standards of English in a business environment remain essential.

[plib]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Good standards of English in a business environment remain essential.

Or, as a partner in charge I once worked for said, "to the client we're only as good as our last report".

[HarryT]

Very true!

[Ninjalawyer]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I do think, though, the standards of written English are declining. Recent graduate entrants into the company where I work seem, on the whole, to have pretty shocking standards of written English.

In the company I work for, there are large numbers of people in management and executive roles with abhorrent spelling and grammar and that are generally older than me by at least a decade. I found this to be the case with a lot of companies I worked with in private practice as well. From my experience, I can only assume that the school system was horrible and then got better.

Personally, I think there are are a lot of people generally with shockingly poor written English skills; it's not just a "youth today!" problem.

Originally Posted by HarryT

Regrettably, it does matter to our customers. If we were to send reports to them written in the manner that most of our recent entrants produce, they wouldn't remain our customers much longer.

Good standards of English in a business environment remain essential.

I know it's not great, but whenever I receive an email or letter with horrible spelling or grammar, I automatically dial down my respect for the writer. Of course I know you can't assume someone is stupid because they may not have learned to writer well, but...

[5thWiggle]

Originally Posted by Ninjalawyer

I know it's not great, but whenever I receive an email or letter with horrible spelling or grammar, I automatically dial down my respect for the writer. Of course I know you can't assume someone is stupid because they may not have learned to writer well, but...

Self-respect draining away?

[ApK]

Assuming the underlying content is of the same quality, what annoys you more in business communication:
The occasional text-speak-like code and shorthand, or people that TRY to sound formal and business-like, and fail?
I frequently get communications that use 'I' instead of 'me' (presumably because they got corrected on the misuse of "me" so much, they are over-compensating), or misuse "myself" (presumably for the same reason...get corrected about 'I' and 'me', just try another pronoun....), or have sentences contructed in needless complex ways, presumably because they think it sounds more "educated" or "professional."

ApK

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by ApK

or constructing sentences in needless complex ways, presumably because they think it sounds more "educated" or "professional."

I refer to that as "Interview-ese." It mainly afflicts people who are asked questions in front of a camera (especially law enforcement), but it can happen in written communications, too. Some sort of EMF disturbance from the electronic equipment causes them to speak in a way they would never speak otherwise; "the alleged perpetrator entered the derelict building from the northeast quadrant. We were able to pursue and flank the subject in a classic pincer movement. At which time, I was able to discharge my firearm into one of the subject's lower extremities in order to subdue him."

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

EMF disturbance. Riiight.