| Author |
Message |
Raven
UO Staff
Joined: 19 May 2003
Posts: 2235
Location: Clyde, Ohio
|
 Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 9:51 am |
| Quote: |
| "i need help," said the message, which was devoid of punctuation. "i am writing a essay on writing i work for this company and my boss want me to help improve the workers writing skills can yall help me with some information thank you". |
Whats your first reaction to this quote? I dont know about you, but mine was "go back to 1st grade and learn puncuation then proper grammar, and then come back and e-mail me"
The sad part is that most corporate e-mails are like this. As this Cnet article reports. The even sadder part is that its not getting better. Only worse, and companies are resulting to just what i said above, sending them back to an "adult" 1st grade to learn basic english again. It sounds silly, but the adults are getting on the KIDS case for getting bad grades in school, but then if the adults went back to school they would probably be doing worse. I'm not saying all adults are bad, but just give the kids a break, especially when YOUR JOB rides on how good you type and explain yourself in an e-mail.
Now I know this isnt friday, but this is a discussion for the adults out there to comment on. Please let us hear your input! |
|
|
|
|
|
darkblackcrow
UO Noob
Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 46
Location: United Kingdom
|
| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 10:44 am |
Piss take; surely. |
_________________
[dbc] |
|
|
|
|
Burgess
UO Staff
Joined: 17 May 2003
Posts: 542
Location: Almost Heaven WV, USA
|
| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 11:34 am |
I need to spend sometime sharpening my English. I am going to purchase The Elements of Style soon. I have heard this book is really useful for writers. |
_________________
"Power without perception is spiritually useless and therefore of no true value." - Ryuukin Father to Ken, Jagi, and Raoh |
|
|
|
|
winkyboy
UO Noob
Joined: 19 Jul 2004
Posts: 6
Location: Minn, USA
|
| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:33 pm |
While we're at it, lists are formed like this:
Item one, item two, and item three.
...NOT like this:
Item one, item two and item three.
That final comma is important, people. Professional writers (especially those in my company) please learn this! Go ahead and look it up if you have to.
[edit] I mean SPECIFICALLY those in my company[/edit] |
_________________
winkyboy.com
Current project: ONS-KitchenSink: COMPLETE!!! |
|
|
|
|
Burgess
UO Staff
Joined: 17 May 2003
Posts: 542
Location: Almost Heaven WV, USA
|
| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:45 pm |
| winkyboy wrote: |
While we're at it, lists are formed like this:
Item one, item two, and item three.
...NOT like this:
Item one, item two and item three.
That final comma is important, people. Professional writers (especially those in my company) please learn this! Go ahead and look it up if you have to.
[edit] I mean SPECIFICALLY those in my company[/edit] |
I always used to list items in the correct manner (Item one, item two, and item three.) but after seeing so many people list it (Item one, item two and item three) I began group thinking. Thanks for reassuring me. I will list it the correct way from now on. |
_________________
"Power without perception is spiritually useless and therefore of no true value." - Ryuukin Father to Ken, Jagi, and Raoh |
|
|
|
|
winkyboy
UO Noob
Joined: 19 Jul 2004
Posts: 6
Location: Minn, USA
|
| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 1:22 pm |
I work in a Media-oriented company (specifically, a corporate, web-development company) and I can't understand how our writers ever picked up on this bad list formation, but it's the one thing that drives me over the edge. Back in high school, I was a silent, English nerd; I was enraged by others' lack of understanding in regards to our language -- but I never mentioned anything. However, it's getting harder and harder to cope as schools continue to close their eyes while peddling out passing grades to students who obviously don't deserve them.
If anyone missed this Penny Arcade strip about Mr. Period, go read it now! It has some colorful language but it's also sadly funny. |
_________________
winkyboy.com
Current project: ONS-KitchenSink: COMPLETE!!! |
|
|
|
|
HeLLFiRe
UO Noob
Joined: 19 May 2003
Posts: 43
Location: Redding, California
|
| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 3:01 pm |
I thought this was a site pertaining to Unreal, not Genmay or Slashdot type articles. |
|
|
|
|
|
Angel_Mapper
Ultimate Fanboy
Joined: 18 May 2003
Posts: 890
Location: Tamearia
|
| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 4:14 pm |
| Quote: |
| "i need help," said the message, which was devoid of punctuation. "i am writing a essay on writing i work for this company and my boss want me to help improve the workers writing skills can yall help me with some information thank you". |
omfg R0x0r!!  |
_________________
Jack Bauer: Mr President, it's been an honor.
President Palmer: Same for me, my friend, and that's Allstate's stand. |
|
|
|
|
Raven
UO Staff
Joined: 19 May 2003
Posts: 2235
Location: Clyde, Ohio
|
| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 4:19 pm |
| Burgess wrote: |
| winkyboy wrote: |
While we're at it, lists are formed like this:
Item one, item two, and item three.
...NOT like this:
Item one, item two and item three.
That final comma is important, people. Professional writers (especially those in my company) please learn this! Go ahead and look it up if you have to.
[edit] I mean SPECIFICALLY those in my company[/edit] |
I always used to list items in the correct manner (Item one, item two, and item three.) but after seeing so many people list it (Item one, item two and item three) I began group thinking. Thanks for reassuring me. I will list it the correct way from now on. |
ive always done it that way (Item one, item two, and item three.), atleast i thought i did... i actually got yelled at by English teachers for doing it tho... they said the last comma is unimportant  |
_________________
nevaR ask Raven
Because he nevaR knows!
Http://www.guardiansofdeath.com |
|
|
|
|
Raven
UO Staff
Joined: 19 May 2003
Posts: 2235
Location: Clyde, Ohio
|
| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 4:21 pm |
| HeLLFiRe wrote: |
| I thought this was a site pertaining to Unreal, not Genmay or Slashdot type articles. |
actually its a gaming site now. but this story was interesting to me (it has happened to me many times when i read user submitted stuff for news. and i had to e-mail them back for clarification.
but its an all around important issue, if you cant communicate clearly you cant communicate at all |
_________________
nevaR ask Raven
Because he nevaR knows!
Http://www.guardiansofdeath.com |
|
|
|
|
winkyboy
UO Noob
Joined: 19 Jul 2004
Posts: 6
Location: Minn, USA
|
| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 4:48 pm |
| Raven wrote: |
| i actually got yelled at by English teachers for doing it tho... they said the last comma is unimportant |
Grrr... You should go back & slap those English teachers! How can they keep a job when they don't know what they're supposed to teach? ...I suppose they're following their politicians' examples 
Interestingly enough, I had to do a quick Google-search and found this link quoting from that book Burgess mentioned earlier, The Elements of Style. |
_________________
winkyboy.com
Current project: ONS-KitchenSink: COMPLETE!!! |
|
|
|
|
Burgess
UO Staff
Joined: 17 May 2003
Posts: 542
Location: Almost Heaven WV, USA
|
| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 4:56 pm |
The Elements of Style pwn j00!
I need to pick it up soon. I might be starting a new job that requires lots of writing.
Pray for me......  |
_________________
"Power without perception is spiritually useless and therefore of no true value." - Ryuukin Father to Ken, Jagi, and Raoh |
|
|
|
|
darkblackcrow
UO Noob
Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 46
Location: United Kingdom
|
| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 4:59 pm |
| Raven wrote: |
| its an all around important issue, if you cant communicate clearly you cant communicate at all |
Agreed 100%. Well said, that man. |
_________________
[dbc] |
|
|
|
|
hal
Guest
|
| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 7:42 pm |
| Raven wrote: |
| Now I know this isnt friday, but this is a... |
Friday. |
|
|
|
|
|
Raven
UO Staff
Joined: 19 May 2003
Posts: 2235
Location: Clyde, Ohio
|
| Posted:
Wed Dec 08, 2004 10:21 pm |
|
|
|
|
|
|
