Ok, so we all know: there’s conversational language and there’s written language. These two types of language are very different!
In conversational language, context is a major player. We’ve got hands moving around, eyes doing weird things, swaying of arms, rocking-fast leg/foot bouncing, and all sorts of other clues to communication. The context is thick, opaque, and obvious. Of course, not all can pick up on every minute piece of body language, but it’s still easy to get the big picture, the main idea of what’s being communicated.
Example: Small talk while waiting in line at the tag office or some similar undesirable place
Every ounce of body language here screams, “Get me the hell out of here!”, but the spoken chit-chat usually deals with things as insignificant as the weather.
Now for written language, it’s much different. Grammar really does matter here. Your word is your essence, and when your grammar is slightly off, your essence is compromised. Even the simplest of grammatical hiccups can alter your message greatly, can inspire feelings of apathy in your audience, can compromise your intended message, can simply just cause the reader to stop reading.
I’m not talking about simple typos; these happen often, and usually the reader can identify the typo, re-credit your essence, and move on with no grudges.
But when typos aren’t typos, but rather a lack of care on the writer’s part, I tend to lose interest. I tend to discredit the essence of what’s being communicated, and I’m not even sure I can figure out what’s truly trying to be communicated. Often, I’ll feel insulted that I, the reader, isn’t worth a few extra minutes of your time. It would’ve only taken a few minutes to clean up your misspellings of it’s and its.
In conversational situations this doesn’t really matter so much. The typos and small errors actually add authenticity and sincerity to the message.
Sending messages of compromised essence are just not fair to your reader and are especially unfair to yourself. Stop compromising your own essence. Learn some grammar so people don’t think your essence is a consequence of carelessness.
Aaron
2009.03.31
I could not agree more, Steve!
George Orwell had a lot to say about language. In his excellent novel “1984″ he defines the book’s Newspeak language as “the only language in the world whose vocabulary gets smaller every year”.
“Newspeak” has become immensely popular within the realms of corporatism and journalism today; i.e. “NatGeo”. It is everywhere you look, as are the blasted fnords.
More and more I see people who adapt their texting shorthand for everyday usage. Absolutely sad to see it. Not only does it make them appear unprofessional, immature, illiterate, and uncultured; but it is also is effecting you, me, all of us. I’m getting “dumbed-down” with these grammatical murderers. I’ve probably made several grammatical mistakes here! Who can blame me? I live in a world of ill-letters!
Conversational language is ridiculously mutilated as well. I believe the elite’s purpose is to make us unable to communicate with each other in the Age of Communication. That would be fitting with Orwell’s depiction of governmental doublethink programming.
When you hear “Defense” know that it means “War” and “Strike First”. After the last 3 White House administrations, no one understands the reality of anything spoken or printed due to blasted “spin”, another name for doublethink.
Jim Jamesson
2009.04.15
I c what u mean. What’s a shame to me are clients who come to us with absolutely disastrous communication skills. This is especially bothersome when it comes to business partnerships. The way I see it, if this person cannot communicate with me on a ‘normal’ level, and everything they type is a garbled mash of incoherence, how am I supposed to take the person seriously? Not only that, OTHER businesses are also dealing with this person… how do THEY take them seriously? And worst of all, if others aren’t taking them seriously, but see that I am, that could be seen as detrimental to me.
Bottom line, poor communication skills get you nowhere.