I was cruising through my Twitter feed the other day and I came across a tweet that caused me to cringe. The person was tweeting about an article that was titled something like Loosing your copyright rights. Shudder. Normally I just shake my head and move on. I was about to do just that when I realized the tweeter calls themselves a writer. You have got to be kidding me.
Glass House
I live in a glass house. I have a long term lease on the thing, I think. This means that typically I don’t throw a lot of stones because I know that I am not the world’s best grammarian. Mostly my stuff is passable but there are subtleties I’ve yet to grasp and there are times I outright ignore the rules in the name of style. I also know that typos sneak in now and then and I can live with that. I’m always working on minimizing those little buggers.
In the case noted above, I find it difficult to believe the “loosing” gaff was a typo. It falls into the pen where all the your/you’re, to/too, there/their chuckleheads are hanging out. Like I said, I’m no grammar expert but these things are the most basic and I think that any (even slightly) literate adult should have a grasp of them. Any adult who professes to be a writer has no excuse to not have a grasp.
My semi-emotional response to this gaff got me thinking about how tough writers can be on other writers. I see terms like “Grammar Nazis” and “Grammar Police” tossed about. I admit to having mixed feelings about those terms. There are times when I would count myself as one of those folks. Being one of those people also kind of goes against my easy-going nature.
I tend to be more forgiving to the average person screwing up a loose/lose proposition. Writers, however, do not get a free pass on this one. It’s like an accountant not knowing the difference between subtraction and division. It’s like a pilot not knowing the landing gear should be down for landing. And while the consequences of poor grammar cannot be equated to a pile of aluminum on the runway, in terms of professionalism and advancing a writing career the implications are the same.
In four years that I have been blogging and freelancing, I’ve run across this topic numerous times. My point is that if someone calls themselves a writer, how could they possibly have missed this conversation? Do they not engage in any of the writing arenas on the Internet? Or do they see the topic and not see themselves? It is a mystery to me.
If you are a writer, what is your take on this? How forgiving are you and does it make a difference if the perp is a writer?
Love the new look here!
While I do agree with you, I can cut people some slack when it comes to Twitter or comments on blogs. People are in a hurry, they type on their phones, etc. I even know a few people whose first language isn’t English so I’ll take whatever botched spelling they give me. It’s still better than what I could do in their language!
Blog posts are different. They should be planned out with more care. Certainly books shouldn’t have mistakes like that. I still cringe when I see it anywhere, though.
Laura Eno´s last [type] ..Letter from a Friend
Hi Laura,
I’m pretty happy with how the site is looking too!
I think what got me on this one was partly due to it being an auto-tweet. I’ve seen the same tweet several times. I’m much more forgiving is something part of a conversation.
George
Not at all forgiving, George, but I’m equally hard on myself if a typo goes into print.
Sharon Hurley Hall´s last [type] ..The Secret To Achieving Your Goals – How This Procrastinator is Getting Things Done
Hi Sharon,
I just wish I knew why it is they show themselves to me AFTER I hit the Publish button.
George
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I so appreciate this post. Just yesterday I read a cringe-worthy guest post on a high profile blog with multiple errors. Who’s editing nowadays, anyway? I realize nobody’s perfect, least of all me, but still. . . Fundamentals, people! It doesn’t matter if you’re an athlete or an electrician or a writer.
Betsy Wuebker´s last [type] ..Location Independence: Road Trip Version
Hi Betsy,
It scares me how common these kinds of things are. I read articles on national news sites all the time that I think got tossed over the transom and landing in the “publish this as is” pile. Amazing.
George
Hi George! I’m leaning toward the Nazi’s on this – and will confess off the bat that I am not perfect in this arena. I think the spoken word will make me pull out my pistol and aim faster. The written word – well, tweets are certainly not known for edits so I’d throw that out as even qualifiying for edit – blogs, and print would be another issue. I read books with errors in them. Makes the editor in me gasp!
Now the potential for what is passing as English in the spoken word often sneaks over into the written word and I’m seeing that already. Adverbs – those little ly’s at the end of words are being phased out, have you noticed? (“I had to get there quick” “She said that just brilliant”)
The worst of all (aim carefully now) is “these ones” and “those ones”. FIRE!
Get your gun!
The day (and it is coming I am certain) that I read that – somebody WILL get shot!
Susan
Susan Blake´s last [type] ..Changing Behavior 2012 Style – The Easy Button!
Suzen,
After that, I’m thinking of writing “these” and “those” on the next set of targets I take to the range.
If a book I’m reading contains an error, I do gasp a bit and when a book has several gaffs it irritates the heck out of me. I think those things are fairly unforgivable.
George
Like the new look, George. There was a discussion on a LinkedIn group: When is a typo not a typo but a misspelling (had to look that one up)? I’m not sure, so I tend to let things be. But if I want to share something from someone I respect for their writing skill, I tend to email about anything I notice first–just as a courtesy so they can look their best for their public.
Shakirah Dawud´s last [type] ..Marketing Copy Turns “Sticks And Stones” On Its Ear
Hi Shakirah,
I felt that the site was getting a bit stale and so far I really like the new window dressing!
In the instance I’m referring to, I did send the perp a friendly “lose
” tweet but there was no response and subsequent tweets contained the same error. Oh well.
I like that you don’t go all Milly-Vanilly on them immediately in a public setting. That’s a class act.
George
Hi George!
Too jacked-up about grammar? Never!
If we professional writers want anyone to take us seriously (and PAY us what we are really worth!) we (above all people) had better have our grammar act together.
I must have been one of the few kids in high school that wasn’t sleeping in English class because there are so many examples of poor grammar used in today’s blogging, in social media, in business and advertising, and in self-published works. I grew up in a small town but both of my parents were college grads. Both my wife and I are now college grads (she is an English major!). And yet, many kids are entering college today or go directly into the workaday world or the military with a less-than-stellar command of these BASIC life skills. We should CARE about this and help each other learn the rules.
But modern society has given a pass to so many things that, back in the day, offenders would have been called out. We seem to have lost our moral and therefore our cultural compass. Here are but a few examples:
Lying on job applications and cheating on tests.
Cut-and-paste plagiarism.
Living with the opposite sex without bothering with the quaint notion of marriage.
Abusing the Golden Rule in the name of corporate greed.
Fathering children out of wedlock.
And several other societal breakdowns that, over time, have all contributed to our current sad state of affairs, especially as the arts are concerned (and writing is definitely an art, but grounded by rules).
And then there is the anonymity of the Internet. Mischief-makers (including chronic bad spellers and sentence hacks) seem to dominate the conversation, perpetuating their illiterate bad habits. Time to call them out!
As you say, George, you wouldn’t want your airline pilot to be unable to read his instruments or your CPA not be able to get you all of those tax breaks, then why should writers be held to any lesser standard. Answer: It’s because we LET them! We say “oh well” and self-justify. We become part of the problem and do nothing about being part of the solution. We metaphorically watch as the homeless man is bludgeoned to death before our eyes.
I believe there are too many folks out there ‘playing’ at writing and butchering the King’s English, giving us all a bad name. If we (the professionals) don’t act as gatekeepers to this skillset, who else will? Yes, I am OK with loose grammar if it is used to enhance a fiction character or location, but if I come across a gaffe from a writer who should know better, or should have vetted his editor better, then I cry foul. I immediately form a mental snapshot of that person, for better or worse.
Am I an error-free writer? Of course not. And yet, I try very hard to be error-free, using a real dictionary, a thesaurus, and I keep current on the fundamentals of my craft. I proofread til the cows come home.
America is getting lazier and lazier about so many things, as the Chinese and Finns and so many other highly-educated cultures clean our educational clocks these days. If the American school system doesn’t uphold high standards of writing, math and science, then we will deserve the ultimate fate of a follower and not a leader nation. Is proper grammar and spelling that important to use (and enforce) then? I maintain that yes, it is. Literacy in ALL its forms is power.
I am grateful that I had a few excellent English and Creative Writing teachers back in the 60s. Back when we diagrammed the pants off of sentences. Back when we HAD to read and use “30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary” and “Word Power” in the classroom. Back when we actually had to read real books. And American spelling bees were not monopolized by kids from Asian and Indian cultures, cultures who today value educational excellence.
I just don’t buy the argument that people should get a grammar pass when they text or tweet or email each other. My writing, ALL of it, projects a first impression to others. I want them to see me as educated and therefore respectful of my reader’s intellect, not some slacker who dumbs himself down to be more popular or acts the fool.
Someone has to take a stand.
So there you have it, George. From a card-carrying, values-based, conceal-and-carry Grammar Policeman.
Next time I’ll give you my real opinion. Ha!
Wayne, If you don’t learn to stop holding it all in, I’m gonna report you to your doctor.
I do find it interesting that something relatively small can be a key indicator of so many other problems and Wayne, I think you nailed this one. Makes me fear for what the future will be like for my daughter.
Thanks once again for a brilliant, thought-provoking comment.
George
My beloved Alaskan writer brother, not to be a jag (go ahead, say it!) but here is a bit of helpful info from Google for the topic at hand:
“Gaffe and Gaff
Gaffe: noun
1. a social or diplomatic blunder
2. a noticeable mistake
Obama made a gaffe in his speach.
Gaff: verb
A gaff is what a fisherman uses to spear or lift a fish, what workers use to climb a telephone pole, or a spur affixed to a gamecocks leg.
1. I tried to gaff the fish but it got away.
2. The rooster had large gaffs on its leg.”
———–> Just trying to lift all [fishing] boats here, George
This is a vexing issue for me because I find myself on both sides of it. I think grammar and precise language are extremely important, no matter what the medium. On the other hand, I’m a lousy proofreader and I’ve doing tons of writing every day, from tweets to blog posts to in-depth articles. I miss things, and I have neither the time nor inclination to catch every error. Does this make me a bad person? A bad writer? Sometimes I think it does. But it annoys me when I write a blog post where I’m trying to help people with a difficult marketing issue, and people leave comments that snidely point out a grammatical error, as if that’s the only thing that matters in the post. I think social media is a conversational medium, and pointing out grammatical flaws goes over about as well on a blog as it does at a cocktail party.
Brad Shorr´s last [type] ..Font Selection for Web Designers
Brad,
What you are pointing out here is exactly why I like Shakirah’s method. Blowing someone out of the water for a grammar error is not productive or appropriate. In social media conversations it’s best to cruise by those little things because they mean so little. With that said, in this case I wonder if it was an error or if the “writer” didn’t realize that “loose” was incorrectly used. An error/typo/goof is one thing and not knowing the difference between lose and loose is another.
Thanks for coming by and contributing!
George
George, I’m with you, kiddo. If a writer doesn’t know the tools of his or her trade, how can he or she possibly write precisely what they mean to say instead of some vague approximation?
Oh, and while I’ve got my ticket book out, I’m issuing one to you for the split infinitive you used (“no excuse to not have a grasp”). Shame on you.
Graham Storrs´s last [type] ..Best-Seller for a… Couple More Days
Graham,
Dang! I’m soooo glad I but that Glass Houses disclaimer in there. Do the Grahamer Police have a Three Strikes policy? (I’m hoping.)
Thanks for giving me a smile today, sir!
George
Yes! In fact, the “loose/lose” is probably my biggest pet peeve…or maybe the “to/too/two”. Either way, I’ve become a bit more tolerant, but I feel like a total goober if I find a typo in my own work – and yes, like you – these little errors never reveal themselves until after I hit “publish”.
Next up: who vs. whom (I know…I know…one crisis at a time).
Donna!
Hey, a “publish” button kindred soul! I’m not sure I have the huevos rancheros to tackle the who/whom thing. Smells a lot like a guest post. Ahem.
I am a nit picker, a Grammar Nazi as you place it. In my belief, writers should be careful on their grammar. The way I see it, if you can place your thoughts on paper or on the web, then do it right.
In other words, I am not forgiving to those erring writers.
Vinny´s last [type] ..love advice for men
Hey Vinny,
Thanks for coming by and commenting. Looks like we’re on the same page.
George
Hahaha!!! Donna, I don’t think the world is ready for “who or whom”. (I sometimes confuse myself on that one.)
Roger Engle´s last [type] ..Your Stats Have a New Home
Hey George,
I love the new look as well. The topic of this post led me to double check the grammar in my new publication, which didn’t take long since it was a short story.
The grammar problem I’m always conscious of is overuse of commas. I’m not sure why , but it irritates me so much. Especially when I find myself putting a comma somewhere where it’s not needed.
My wife can write a four-page essay and never begin a new paragraph or use a comma. She’s not great at grammar, but she has a way with words. Reading one of her long emails is like walking over a bed of hot coals, for me. I usually copy/paste it into Word and begin editing it without even realizing what I’m doing.
(On another subject: What is this “Roger’s last [type]” thing at the end of some of our comments? I know it has something to do with the little check box below the “Post Comment” button…)
Hey Roger,
Nice to see you here! I’m loving the new look as well.
The Roger’s last thing is from a WordPress plug-in called Comment Luv. It parses the latest post on your blog and provides a way for folks to go see that last post.
George
Those plug-ins might be worth the $17 a year. Thanks for the info. Shall I send you the manuscript of my short story so you can critique it or maybe even post a review on your blog? (Be gentle with me…) =D
Roger Engle´s last [type] ..Your Stats Have a New Home
I think grammar and precise language are extremely important, no matter what the medium. On the other hand, I’m a lousy proofreader and I’ve doing tons of writing every day, from tweets to blog posts to in-depth articles
Mike Colly´s last [type] ..How to do forex trading
Interesting post on Grammar Police from K M Weiland: http://wordplay-kmweiland.blogspot.com/2012/01/why-i-hate-grammar-nazis-and-why-i-am.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+WordplayTheWritingLifeOfKmWeiland+%28Wordplay%3A+The+Writing+Life+of+K.M.+Weiland%29
Laura Eno´s last [type] ..Read All About It At The Daily Harrell
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Ahem. Shouldn’t it be: “…if someone calls himself/herself a writer, how could he/she possibly have missed…”? I’m no grammar Nazi, but it seems to me you’ve misused your reflexive pronoun.
Glass houses…?
Anna
Hey Anna,
EXACTLY why I put the glass houses “hold harmless” clause in there.
I’m sure I’ve got participles dangling all over the place.
I have been accused of reflexive pronoun abuse in the past, but the grand jury didn’t indict.
George
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