I've been doing web copy for a company and have come to one precious conclusion: the internet has mauled our ability to write properly.
When I began my journey on the internet, I would come across people who would leave me cryptic notes like: OMG, LMFHO, WTF and BRB.
I found it ridiculous and still do.
Worst still, I've read that some people claim this is a "practical" way of writing to "save time." Bull shit I say. That's a cheap cop out. There's nothing I hate more than people justifying ignorance and laziness.
Yes, it's come to this. People don't give a rabid rat's dirty ass about good writing or literature. Of course, this is ironic given the "content is king" axiom that governs any self-respecting website. I hear writers are in demand yet no one wants to pay up. Or worse, they think they know enough to tell a writer how to do their job - ie write.
The other day I had a Russian programmer who can barely speak English (he was unfamiliar with the term "I paid an arm and a leg") complain about something he thought I wrote. While I patiently listened trying to figure out what he was saying I kept thinking to myself "what the hell do you know anyway?" I got to the bottom of the problem. Let's just say he won't be writing anytime soon.
I'm ok with criticism but not from people who don't hold a particular respect for writing.
Lack of reverence for writing is an affront and atrocity to all things civil, decent and intelligent. I'm not saying people need to learn how to write like a star but at the very least appreciate it.
I never understood whenever I heard movie actors or anyone else in the medium make fun of writers. I know, it's a run-on joke to make fun of writers; even The Simpsons did it. BUT, without them you have no scripts or ideas right? Furthermore, aren't many films based on novels? Somebody had to write them, right?
Right.
So, to me, people who engage in this sort of "thinking" are not worth a comma or an exlamation point or any other precious key on the board.
It's no different on the "net." It amazes me (in a frightening way) the indifference (if not contempt) people hold for proper use of language. The laziness and lack of wittiness surrounding internet lingo is a pathetic world I wish to ignore for fear that if I do, I may become wickedly incompetent one day with my own spelling.
All is not lost. Some people do care as this petition reveals. I was heartened to find someone with the same worries as me. When I clicked to view all signature only 56 people had signed it.
That is, 56 people who cared.
Is the internet ruining our collective ability to write with any artistic or professional sensibilities or courtesy?
Everyone hates lawyers...until they need one. Everyone forgets writers...until they need one.
Shoot, I care. This has been a thorn in my side for years now.
ReplyDeleteBack when it became possible to put a PC on a desk, I started noticing really sloppy ad copy - mostly in computer magazines. About the same time, I walked into my son's first grade classroom and found a very large poster in the room that said "Good children pick up there toys," and I about lost it.
I taught college, and in one class, I had a basketball player slotted to receive a full university scholarship. He couldn't construct a sentence, let alone spell. The second class he took with me, he never showed up, then my department told me to work with him on it. I asked for a 10 page paper summarizing the entire textbook. What I got was something that someone else had written - I know, because it was good. Guess which way the political pressure leaned?
The people who email me get back a grammatically correct reply, though I admit, I will use LOL now and then. I can be pretty sarcastic at times, so a clue that I'm joking is in order for understanding's sake. It's unfortunate that people use the excuse that it's difficult to know what people mean in email to not bother with proper use of the language.
In my opinion, if you want to represent yourself in a favorable way, at least speak and write favorably.
Theresa
Well said.
ReplyDeleteAs I mentioned, I taught myself web copy (long story. I was solicited by a company so...the rest is temporarily history) and it flabbergasts me at how aloof people are towards writing.
Part of my responsibilities is "Quality Assurance" and I can assure you the quality is putrid.
I could have been more detailed.
ReplyDeleteWhen I say Quality Assurance I mean I'm fixing up sites put by previous people.
I find it more difficult (and more frustrating) to have go back and fix someone else's mistakes, especially Web sites! I don't mind working on copy, but trying to fix bad code is a nightmare.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question on whether the Internet is responsible for our lack of language, I lean toward 'no.' I think that what's happened is that it has opened up an infinite freedom of voice forum that allows people who wouldn't otherwise a place to communicate. Someone, for instance, who would rarely sit down to write a letter and send it off via USPS now emails constantly. Shy students who would never utter a peep in a classroom would be very active in an online course. And then there are those you wish had never found the Internet's open forums. I know it has given many a chance to practice Multiple Personality Disorder. Those are the idiots that don't realize that your writing style stays pretty consistent, no matter which personality is playing the lead role at the moment.
Theresa
I also find that the internet has given a forum for more people, that wouldn't normally, speak out and write. With that comes the good and the bad.
ReplyDeleteThere are definitely, as you say Komor, people that I would sooner see not write anything on the web. Although, with this comes the amazing postings and websites that I have read and seen, which have truly inspired me.
With the problem of reduced capacity of people to iterate "Oh My God" instead of "OMG," has come misunderstandings and ambiguities. I hate these abbreviations and truncated expletives, and agree that people should just spell out their words. The problem is people need better education on grammar and language use, and the internet gives the capability to people that do not have this education.
I agree with the notion of giving voice to the people.
ReplyDeleteBefore blogging I used to write on a piece of paper to be tucked away in some binder never to be read again.
The internet most certainly changed this.
I do overlook bad grammar if the content and idea is interesting. After all, the idea that someone actually sat down and took the time to write something to express a point is valuable in itself.
Just to reiterate a point, I'm more irritated with the deliberate debauchery of the language under the guise of "being practical."
ReplyDeleteSome of it is exaggerated - in my semi-humble opinion.
DC, maybe some of the slack in education will be picked up by the act of reading. It wasn't that long ago that the trend in public education was to tag kids as ADHD and/or learning disabled, just so they would be drugged and more manageable for lackluster teachers who not only couldn't manage a classroom but couldn't teach to save their ass.
ReplyDeleteMore available information and more participation in sharing information means we need more discrimination. And boy, do I ever jump up and down with glee when I find good writing!
I rarely use those shortcuts, except LOL, and get pretty insistent on asking for the translation. People soon learn that if they are going to communicate with me, they'd better just spell it out. They'll have to anyway.
Theresa
The real culprit when it comes to encouraging bad writing is the methodology employed by most people when texting on cellphones .
ReplyDeleteTheir abbreviations are seeping into the written language . It's a great shame because English is so expressive in its true form . Change is fine if it's evolutionary to meet the needs of a society but when it's impelled by laziness it's not good .
We must use our blogs to maintain standards !
Dear Commentator,
ReplyDeleteI generally agree with the topics of this post and its comments, and I am also "irritated - as you say - with the deliberate debauchery of the language”, of any language “under the guise of being practical” or any other reason.
None the less, you English mother-tongue people, pls try to understand the efforts of non mother-tongue people. I am referring to that Russian programmer your mention, for example.
As regards myself, Italian mother tongue from Rome, my English being not perfect though decent enough, I had however time, money and opportunities to learn which were denied to loads of other persons.
All the best,
Man of Roma
Man of Roma - people please do read his blog for stimulating ideas - I can assure you your English is perfect and far better than my Italian (or French for that matter!)
ReplyDeleteHowever, the point in regard to the Russian programmer was that he had no grip on the language but still attempted to challenge my work. It was an odd thing for him to do. In this regard, you could have replaced the nationality with an English person who has no acumen for language. It doesn't matter. It was more the point of someone over stepping their area of expertise.
My apologies if it came off differently.
Don't worry and thanks for the praise (although by the way I wrote in my post you have just commented: 'readers jumping up in their chairs', while 'out of their chairs' was prob. more correct lol). As regards the Russian programmer, I most likely missed the entire picture.
ReplyDeleteMoR