I agree so far to what has been said regarding writing. We are judged,
as Marcy puts, by our spelling etiquette, in both academic and
business settings. My experiences as a second language instructor and
as a teacher educator suggest that different audiences (meaning
students in classroom) are not alike; that is, some students are ready
to polish their final work, while others become fixated on both
spelling and punctuation to the point that they lose perspective.
Instead of spending time on revision, they focus on what I consider
editing details. On the other hand, if a professional such as a
teacher writes a note with spelling or puncutation errors,there is
often a backlash. Simultaneously in the business world, you and not
your secretary are shaped by the image you portray in the industry.
Hmmmm. You do have your work cut out for you Virginia. Is it a call-in
show? As for my punctuation- this is an EMAIL! Gloria Michalchuk
> Greetings to everyone on this list! I have just been invited to sit
> in as the "visiting expert" on a CBC radio "Cross-talk" show on the
> topic "Does Spelling Matter?" It sounds to me like Pandora's box is
> once again to be opened in the province of Newfoundland. With equal
> parts delight and terror, I said "yes," and now I'm turning to all
> of you for positions, epiphanies, and metaphors. You see, they
> wanted someone who "sees both sides of the issue," and in me they
> found such a someone. I am old enough (and old-fashioned enough???)
> to feel that yes, it matters very much (in many contexts). But I
> also listen every day to brilliant and passionate young tutors who
> argue for simplicity and accessibility, and who point out that
> deliberate, alternate spellings shouldn't matter if they do not
> interfere with understanding (as Charles Shultz once put it in one
> of his cartoons, "If K-A-T doesn't spell 'cat,' what /does /it
> spell?")
>
> This issue is forcing me to try to resolve a dilemma I've carried
> around for years. For example, I absolutely hate comma splices, but
> I've never quite determined whether my hatred of them stems from
> some justifiable philosophical principle that I haven't yet managed
> to articulate, or rather from simple snobbishness and adherence to
> rules-for-the-sake-of-rules. Similarly, and more to the point, here,
> I hate the sign outside the garden centre that says "Begonia's for
> sale," but wonder whether my reaction is really justifiable, since
> any reader will understand that all the sign /means/ is that there
> is more than one begonia being sold.
>
> Now, I understand and can readily explain to any call-in guest that
> in the context of a student paper submitted for a grade at a
> university, while misspellings generally (not always! I know!) do
> not interfere with meaning, they are also generally considered
> unacceptable by the intended readership and so should be avoided.
> But the bigger questions are _why_ are such spellings unacceptable?
> Do they matter outside of academia (and business)? And if they
> matter, why do they matter?
>
> I welcome any and all reactions, apologize for my own lengthy
> silence on this list, and hope that despite it you'll be vocal!
>
> Ginny Ryan
> The Writing Centre
> Memorial University of Newfoundland
> St. John's, Newfoundland
>
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> For the list archives and information about the organization,
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>
>
Gloria Michalchuk, Doctor of Philosophy
Effective Writing Resources, Academic Support Centre
Writing Advisor and Graduate Curriculum Developer
(780) 492-1129
2-703 SUB
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
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To leave the list, send a SIGNOFF CASLL command to
[log in to unmask] or, if you experience difficulties,
write to Russ Hunt at [log in to unmask]
For the list archives and information about the organization,
its newsletter, and the annual conference, go to
http://www.stu.ca/inkshed/
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