Good spelling still matters

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by 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?

My problem is the opposite. I spend so much of my life writing in a formal business context that I find it very difficult to write "informally" .

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

EMF disturbance. Riiight.

Hey, I thought I'd try "nice" for a change.

[Rob Lister]

Originally Posted by ApK

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

ApK

Sometimes it is just stage fright, like Diap suggested. What one writes is officially 'on the record'. Nobody wants to sound (read) dumb. Nor do they want that dumbness replicated, forwarded, referred to, and god forbid, overtly pointed out. [He ended his sentence in a preposition, lol. He split his infinitive, rof.]

More often, the writer doesn't really know exactly what they're trying to convey. If it is muddled in their head, that's how it comes out on paper.

[plib]

Originally Posted by Rob Lister

More often, the writer doesn't really know exactly what they're trying to convey. If it is muddled in their head, that's how it comes out on paper.

A loong time ago when I was in training I had a manager who wouldn't listen to any proposal or issue presented to him verbally. He always said "go back and put it on paper". His view was that the exercise of putting it on paper and presenting a coherent argument or summary would show you whether your thinking was muddled or clear. He did his job, it was good training, and I have to say I agree with him. Discussions can be verbal but initial presentations or arguments benefit a lot from the discipline of having to write them down and then judge if they make sense.

(This presupposes that people actually read what they have written of course )

[Ninjalawyer]

Originally Posted by 5thWiggle

Self-respect draining away?

/mortified beyond belief.

[5thWiggle]

Originally Posted by Ninjalawyer

/mortified beyond belief.

Don't be. I find it amazing that I can pick something tiny like that out of someone else's post, but miss the amazingly huge blunders I can make in my own. Brain apparently goes bye-bye while proofreading my own stuff. Must say something about what my self conscious thinks of my conscious' postings.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by 5thWiggle

Don't be. I find it amazing that I can pick something tiny like that out of someone else's post, but miss the amazingly huge blunders I can make in my own. Brain apparently goes bye-bye while proofreading my own stuff. Must say something about what my self conscious thinks of my conscious' postings.

That's true for just about everybody. That's why it's best to have someone else edit/proofread your stuff, or at least come back to it after some time has passed, so you see what's actually on the page, and not just what you expect.

[5thWiggle]

Originally Posted by ApK

That's true for just about everybody. That's why it's best to have someone else edit/proofread your stuff, or at least come back to it after some time has passed, so you see what's actually on the page, and not just what you expect.

But I had to post that as sort of apology.
As Dark Overlord of Evil Canada, I'm Evil enough to enjoy pointing out the shortcommings of others ( Bwah hah hah hah ha! ), but, unfortunately, I'm Canadian enough to feel the need to smooth over the hurt feelings ().

Damn my paradoxical nature!

[Fluribus]

Originally Posted by 5thWiggle

But I had to post that as sort of apology.
As Dark Overlord of Evil Canada, I'm Evil enough to enjoy pointing out the shortcommings of others ( Bwah hah hah hah ha! ), but, unfortunately, I'm Canadian enough to feel the need to smooth over the hurt feelings ().

Damn my paradoxical nature!

If you want any respect in the Dark Overlord community, you'll have to move to a country with a bigger and badder rep...or slaughter a quarter of your population.

And I believe that the PC term for short commies is "Little Persons with Marxist leanings".