ITXtreme with Paul Ryan » Why Is Everyone Illiterate?

April 26, 2006 | Comments: (0)

Why Is Everyone Illiterate?

TAGS: Things That Piss Me Off

How many times per day do you hear (in the work environment):

1) Flagrant malaprops,
2) Confused and erroneous mispronunciations,
3) Bad grammar,
4) Incorrect usage.

What is going on? I realize that as technologists we're not the most language-savvy people out there. I also realize that offense is in the ear of the beholder (i.e. most people notice other people's offenses first). But I think language skills are degenerating at a rapid pace.

Now before you say "This doesn't matter!", listen to a few examples that I've heard in the halls of corporate America:

"That issue is mute." -- Does he mean that we shouldn't talk about it (a little scary) or that the issue is irrelevant (or moot).

"That's just antidotal information." -- Does the information cure somethings, or is it a one-off bit of information (anecdotal).

"We need to flush this out." Should we get rid of something, or describe it in further detail (flesh).

"For all intensive purposes." Should we do something when we need intensity, or is something equivalent to something else (intents and purposes).

These abuses of the language are not coming from the hoi polloi, but the senior management at some very large companies that you would recognize. It always has bugged me -- most of the time I bite my tongue and keep quite. To hell with that -- let's try and elevate everyone's game a bit and TAKE A BIT MORE CARE in our language.

Of course, this opens me up to all kinds of analysis of my own imperfections. Have at it!

Posted by Paul T. Ryan on April 26, 2006 08:50 AM

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