Tag Archives: misspelling

‘All press is good press’? Not always.

Posted on June 19, 2007 | 2 Comments

On TechCrunch today, I found a post that said, in part:

Unless you subscribe to the theory that there is no such thing as bad press, don’t be the company that emails us and compares their new product to Flickr, but spells it “Flicker” in the email. And don’t send us links to the product that show error messages that are completely wrong.

Alas. I agree. Press releases must be professional. I can’t imagine that this maligning will help out the site that committed the error. I’d call it the 101 of internet PR: 1) Spell correctly, 2) double-check all links before hitting Send, and — I’m embellishing here, but nonetheless — 3) have flawless grammar, too.

I’ve written before about how a company’s website, riddled with errors, caused me to not buy something I’d hoped to. Mistakes are even worse in a press release, though, because it’s being sent to members of the press, who probably have a keener eye for grammatical flaws than the general public. Add to that the fact that the news media have some level of power over their readership, and you’ve got a lethal combination.

Notice the post title at TechCrunch: “Don’t be this company.”

I second that.

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Posted in technology

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How shoddy writing will deter customers

Posted on April 25, 2007 | 4 Comments

Reading Solar Style‘s relatively brief FAQ page — my husband suggested one of the company’s solar cell phone/iPod chargers for his birthday gift — I was turned off on the company. Why? The page contained at least six horrible typos.

Particularly when I’m studying a company I’m not familiar with, this kind of rampant lack of attention to detail is quite off-putting. Can I trust this company with my dollars? Is its warranty reliable? Or is this just a fly-by-night operation?

I’d like to think well of this organization. It’s promoting eco-responsibility, and that’s something I value. But I also don’t want to spend a chunk of money on equipment made by a company with perhaps shoddy workmanship. After all, if Solar Style leadership doesn’t care enough about its image to ensure clean writing (one of the most immediate reflections of its integrity to potential customers), why would I be confident about the quality of the company’s product?

Even though I know my husband would appreciate a solar charger, I doubt he’ll be getting one from me at this point, from this company.

Write well — cleanly, without errors, at least — or if you can’t accomplish this alone, hire qualified help in this field. It’s essential to successful business.

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Mistakes a quick read would catch

Posted on April 13, 2007 | 2 Comments

On the brief description on our most recent DVD from Netflix, the need for proofreaders and copyeditors in all realms of life reared its head.

Here’s part of what it said:

“Sydney picks up the pieces after a cliff-hanger car wreck with her fiancé,” and later, “This disc includes the following episodes: Solo, Fait Accompli, Bob, The Horizon and ‘S.O.S.”

There are clearly two problems here, which likely stem from two different sources. The first error, fiancé, probably stems from the entire text being copied and transferred, and from the program it was pasted into not being compatible with the code for the é.

The second is probably a result of simple lack of attention to detail. Both are bad errors, though.

A reputable company should not allow text to be presented to the public with errors.

It doesn’t take a well-trained editor to catch these mistakes, either. An eye with attention to detail would work. It’s common knowledge that when quotes are started, another quote mark must come later. And the messed-up code would slow-up even a quick read.

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When to follow the rules

Posted on March 30, 2007 | Leave a comment

It seems I started something and haven’t finished it yet. Here’s a follow up.

It’s hard to set a hard-and-fast rule. So many such standards depend on context and local style.

• Ending sentences with prepositions is often OK, except perhaps in the most formal of writings. Even English teachers are beginning to accept this. See here and here.

• Double negatives generally confuse the reader and thus should be avoided. The goal, after all, is clear communication.

It’s one of the foundational concepts of mass communication: What you say and what is heard can be two very different things. One of a writer’s goals is to prevent that from happening.

I’ve tackled creating a local style guide in the past, but I’m not about to start from scratch and create an overarching style guide. For so many venues of communication, style guides already exist!

Rules vary, based on context — both the online/scholarly paper/email/letter to Mom context and the culture/geographical location of a piece of writing — and that’s a good thing. I agree with Grammar Girl that nearly every institution in existence should have a local style, in writing, though.

I love the many nuances of our language and its use. I love that it evolves: New words constantly being created illustrates that there’s always more for me to discover.

In general, I enjoy language. Too much dissection can harm that relationship. Disrespect can also cause a problem, though. Balance between rules and creativity is simultaneously essential and hard to find.

It’s important to note, however, that the rules of writing cannot be broken in the spirit of creativity without the writer’s knowledge of the standards. All writers, regardless of their context, should acquaint themselves with the rules of writing.

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Grace triumphs over grammar policing

Posted on March 29, 2007 | 9 Comments

I’m one of those people who care about correct grammar, punctuation, spelling and usage, particularly in writing.

I’ve gone through phases concerning grammar in speech. When I first worked at a newspaper, on the copy desk, I consciously changed my speech, removing audible pauses, slang, colloquialisms, lazy language. Sometimes now, when I’m tired, I speak in near-baby talk, intentionally failing to pronounce words correctly, using plurals when they make no sense. Referencing myself in third person.

When I was in high school I used to correct my parents’ grammar whenever they made a mistake, in front of them and their peers, even. I know it bothered Dad.

I read copyblogger‘s post about “Grammatical errors that make you look dumb” today, and I agree with him. Anyone writing anything should make an effort to avoid such mistakes. Eliminating errors from a person’s communications will help his or her credibility.

Some of the people who responded to his popular post, however, act like and even refer to themselves as “grammar nazis.” This behavior — and attitude — it would seem, also can injure the perpetrator’s reputation in the marketplace.

It does not help to present oneself as mean and overbearing and a know-it-all.

In the end, both can be lived out: Write correctly and give grace when you find someone else’s mistake(s). If you must offer a correction, do it tactfully, pleasantly and out of a helpful spirit that takes into account that good ol’ Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

I may not always succeed at offering grace to others, but I have long-since stopped correcting individuals’ spoken grammar in public. I understand that I have weaknesses, too, and I don’t want them thrown in my face all the time.

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Oops

Posted on March 17, 2007 | Leave a comment

Today’s Northwest Arkansas Times, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette‘s Fayetteville daily, spelled a word wrong in its top headline today. Maybe quandary is one of those words the general populace doesn’t know how to spell, and it will go largely unnoticed.

I hope not, purely for the state of language knowledge in our country. Spelling, while a small, simple part of life (although it’s a larger part of publishing), clearly impacts public perception of the offending person/institution. I used to work in the newspaper industry, and I know what it’s like to wake up, get the paper and cringe when you see the mistake. But there’s really no excuse.

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Posted in newspapering

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