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Hi Trevor & All,
To those "defenders of the faith" out there -- I'm with you!
My spelling and grammar are infrequently perfect first or second run through, but I do think it important to at least try and get it right so that you are clearly understood. To repeat, I am very much a "sinner" and a poor typist to boot, but one who at least tries to be penitent and right his wrongs.
I appreciate it can be difficult to see errors in your own document. When we proof-read, we tend to read what we meant to say rather than what is written on the paper (or screen). But "Rafferty's-Rules" is in reality "no-rules"; a one-way road to confusion. This is not intended as a racist comment, please don't take it that way but if we're not careful, we will all end up writing and speaking "Chinglish" style.
While I'm on the topic, one of the worst areas of degradation to our written language is the apostrophe ( ' ). The rules aren't that hard to learn and apply. Have a go at putting an apostrophe in the correct place today. Never know, you might even come to love 'em!
English is one of the most widely spoken and written languages in the world and almost certainly the most common "second language". We should be on our guard that its beautiful rules (even if sometimes a tad absurd) are cherished forever -- for clarity, precision and dare I say it, for their own sake.
Perhaps emoticons would be less used on this forum and the internet generally if our written English more clearly and precisely said what we wanted it to convey -- so there was no ambiguity or mistaken shade of meaning?
Maybe the need for emoticons is a symptom of this disease? Are they the only way we can make sure our thoughts and ideas are not misunderstood?
Food for thought!
Best,
Les D
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