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--- "Diane Evans" <dianee -at- lockstream -dot- com wrote:>
>I disagree with Bruce. As a consumer, if I see bad grammar, fragments,
>etc., I am less apt to read the entire ad and thus less likely to buy the
>product.
I hear this attitude from writers and editors all the time. On the Copyediting list just recently, there were several posts on "heard in the wild." The moderator finally stepped in with a warning about how we shouldn't ridicule others for their mistakes: it doesn't reflect on them, but rather reflects on us and our unprofessional attitude.
Let's face it: we're not in control of the language - English belongs to everyone. As writers, we should be critical of our *own* language, and we should work toward making people realize that communications is a carefully honed craft, not something just anyone can do. Instead of beating up and ridiculing others for what we perceive as mistakes and stupidity, we should take the time to educate and inform.
No one owns the rules - heck, most of us probably can't even repeat the rules without looking them up, and even then, the rules depends solely on what grammar guide you're using, as well as who you're writing to and what the situation is. In a situation like that, you really can't blast others for bad grammar.
In short, life's too short to spend being offended about other people's grammar.
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Jeff Hanvey: http://www.jewahe.net
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