Grammar is over-rated

Nice title

overrated*

Most people saying grammar doesn't matter usually suck at it. Maybe the good professor is one of those. Or maybe with the average reading level in America at around the 6th grade, he's being a realist. But it does matter, especially if you're in the communications business which nearly all Internet marketers are.

Nice title. You got me to click. Grammar is NOT overrated. Why? Everything you do online either HELPS your brand or HURTS it. Bad grammar makes you look unprofessional. You are in a death struggle with your competition. Don't give them an inch by failing to mop up easy grammar mistakes.

I agree that simplifications are necessary, but until they will be accepted they are not a good idea.

well it depends on the situation i'm pretty sure that english teachers would not agree with that assessment lol

How about penmanship? You don't see much of THAT anymore. Anyone know how to write in cursive still?

While I agree that there are much more pressing matters to deal with, I cannot say that grammar is "overrated". In fact, I think that people are actually getting "dull" because they've seemed to forgotten how to translate their thoughts into coherent written language. I get really frustrated with the amount of threads here that are filled with incoherent, fragmented, and nonsensical words thrown together with no semblance of reason.

So yeah, as long as people can understand each other, I'd say that there's no reason to go crazy over a few grammatical mistakes here and there. BUT, when people can't seem to formulate coherent thoughts down onto paper, that's a big problem that we need to address. Doest thou comprehend?

They might say grammar is over-rated since not everyone can speak proper English. There are a lot who does not have the luxury to go to school and learn languages and there are people who lack practice too. You can blame text messages about this however for me, it is still advisable to learn grammar.

All I know is I spent a lot of money and time in college studying Journalism and when I launched my online career, I was told by my guru clients to throw that all away because it was too stuffy.

I agree. However, some things I just can't do. I can't use one form of "their/they're/there" - that would drive me absolutely insane because when I see it on FB (especially from the younger generations), my eye twitches.

I also love that funny saying about punctuation being important and the big difference between:

Let's eat Grandpa!

and

Let's eat, Grandpa!

That said, I'll dangle a freaking participle at the end of a sentence if I want to. And being the rebel that I am, I see nothing wrong with ending a sentence with a preposition if I want to.

There are always going to be people who email you nitpicking about grammar and I get it. It's fingernails on the chalkboard for some people.

But for others, perfect writing is too stuffy and just as irritating.

Eventually it'll all become slang I feel like. Or worse - text talk. I saw a kid who submitted an essay in all text talk. lol (<--- oops).

Tiff

I totally agree. I often feel like jumping in and correcting people in here but I refrain because I know there are people who would feel offended.

People can make up their own mind whether they have enough care and pride in their business to ensure it's accurate.

I don't know if it's overrated or not. I can say that I've never refused to buy something I wanted when the advertising had too few grammar/spelling mistakes but have held off pulling the trigger many times when I thought it looked to be written by a 10 year old.

Given that, I'll err on the side of caution and try to avoid making too many mistakes in my own writing.

Content broker writer guidelines sometimes require strict adherence to stylistic rules (like Textbroker with their hybrid AP style). Even with clearly-delineated rules - writers can attest that editors interpret and misinterpret rules as a matter of course. They are inconsistent even with rules. Let alone editors assessing relevance and persuasiveness and other actual web content criteria for actual success on the web.

Which sucks because a) an editor is going to edit and lecture writers (turning writers into editors and editors into gatekeepers, and b) writer access to title pools is essentially always in jeopardy.

Content brokers can embrace the conventions of dead tree media at their own risk.

I am far more concerned with SEO than oxford comma debates. If someone argues with a web writer about the Oxford comma - while paying SEO writer rates - then not only is their academic standard obsolete for the economy of the Web; but their twice-edited mashups, sorry, articles, are destined for the dustbin.

Oh, you thought you got a journalist at $7 an hour. How quaint.

Isn't pedantry illegal in most states?

Amazing comments in this thread, that's for sure.

Thanks for sharing.
Nice title and comments in this thread.

It looks like pedantic is the word of the day. How donnish!

Man! The subject just caught me up!

Hi Garrie,

I liked the article. Seems like Mr. Simon Horobin the Oxford English professor is on to something that is recognized by the IM community. The English language and its usage is changing, morphing, evolving right before our eyes. Everyday!

Look at how many new terms have been invented over the past several years. Many of them are related in some way to the Internet. And it is not uncommon to see folks using words in all kind of mixed up ways, but they still manage to get their point across.

I agree we should be more relaxed about our reactions to "different usage" within our own English language. If the point isn't clear because of incorrect word usage or misspelling the author will be the loser because the reader may abandon the piece.

LLS

Great writers break grammar rules all the time.

Don't believe me?

Try reading some of their work without getting
sucked into the story and just edit for grammar.

Great communication is great communication.

Grammar and spelling are both overrated (or over-rated)
and not especially important if you're effectively
connecting with your reader.


There is a point though, where if your spelling and grammar
are bade enough, it becomes a severe distraction.

That's bad.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

Andrew,

I agree with what you're saying if you're talking a comma splice or the sort of thing Tiffany mentioned in her post. Using the wrong word (their instead of they're or loose instead of lose) isn't a grammar mistake - that's just using the wrong word.

There's no way anyone could convince me that using the wrong word enhances your communication in any way.

Well this type of spell and grammar issues are not happening only to English language but to many or some other languages too.

Today's fast life, use of internet lingo, sms lingo, huge pool of people not so good in studies but enough to talk normal english ( try to understand what I am trying to say here ) are some causes to this issue.

As said in article, if some uses Thru instead of through then it means he/she is in hurry or lazy or using his sexy style. But one can understand that thru means through.

So unless the meaning of a sentence changes totally, then in todays world people will be ignoring it.

and as far IM is concerned, In my personal opinion, grammar becomes a 2nd important stuff if your service is good (like graphic design service), or if you're a content writer then trust becomes important with the help of real useful information and images.

my 2C
TY

Well from a sales guy's point of view. As long as we are able to get our point across in a clear, interesting and professional manner, grammar may not matter too much. However, in certain professions, bad grammar is perceived as being unprofessional.

Grammar...

The difference between knowing you're shit to knowing your shit

I have been pondering lately on how much Google takes grammar into account when ranking a page.

Sounds like he is trying to apply the doctrine of relativism to grammar.

I don't like it.

The assumption being made is that Oxford Professors' opinions are worth much. In my experience - having known a few - that's a big stretch.

Grammar is the math of language. I hated English and reading so much growing up unless we were studying grammar because interpretation is not science. Math is a science, and when you put language into a formation that exhibits mathematics, I am a very happy person.

Grammar has been relaxed enough in our speaking skills. Let's stop there. The people who can speak and write intricately will be a lost skill...just like sewing.

Say NO to destroying the math of language! :p

it really only matters if you're writing code, people skim anyway

You only have one chance to leave a good first-time impression, specially in business when you're asking your visitors to swing their credit card in your site... Riddling your website with grammar mess ups, or with poor design, or with long video buffering times, etc is a VERY bad advise, regardless of whether it comes from an Oxford professor or not.

Tell, me how irritating it's to read this; with incorrect punctuation: let alone bad grammar.

Bad grammar makes you look like an idiot, regardless of your Guru status


There's a reason he's at Oxford, and not Brown, Yale or Harvard, BTW

I can't take any marketers seriously if they have bad grammar. It's not too much work to proofread and spellcheck.

Garrie,

The professor was directing his comments to "the grammar police and spelling pedants to be a bit more relaxed about changing standards of written English." (emphasis mine)

These are people who love to put their knowledge on display for all to see. In my opinion, he's telling them to lighten up a bit and relax their enthusiasm for holding tight to the stiff rules of grammar.

I don't think his comments were meant for the average web site owner.

I personally believe good grammar is important; however, being genuine and opening up your personality to your clients/subscribers/prospects is just as important - maybe more so.

Each of us has to find the right balance between correct grammar and communicating effectively "in our own voice" so that we don't come off as either too stuffy or too uneducated.

I have a feeling that the type of business or web site you operate could have something to do with your projected persona and the grammar you use. If you're coaching folks on preparing a resume I think proper English is critical. If you're selling catfish stink bait maybe it's not so important.

Good luck to you all,

Steve

ACTUALLY, it is UNDERrated!

"Prof Horobin, said that it was a “comparatively recent phenomenon” that we all stuck to a standard form of spelling, pointing out that in Middle English there were 500 different recorded spellings of “through”, including: drowgh, trowffe, trghug, yhurght."

OK....

yhurght de jeias iey ave bin imaiset yat ou musc eiy um xpektid du ndirstnt kn du forstar dis? maske jeg skull tayler po dorlie dansck!


NOW, how many words did YOU understand? Today, one person reversed everything, etc.... I and another had to struggle to determine what he was trying to say, and I doubt either of us cared!

Steve

The only thing helping grammar today is Scrabble and Words With Friends.