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In reply to:
I'm with Rapunzel on this one. Sometimes, people will use fancy sounding words to make themselves appear smarter.
The only thing you have to decide is if you, the MT, want to correct the doc. I know in my company that wouldn't go over very well. Any errors in grammar, word use, or spelling remain as is. Pity the poor fool who, no matter how softly, politely, or ever so gently, brings an error to head honcho's attention. You should see our impending web page. Ugh, ugh, ugh.
I brought this over from Q&A to get a bit of input from you folks.
How DO you go about correcting your bosses? Or do you? Seriously, our web page is going to be horrendous. The phrases are convoluted, words are used improperly and proper grammar, well, virtually nonexistent. In the past, when I tried to nudge them in the right direction I was shut out completely. And boy, what aggression. I have tried businesslike, gentle, friendly, firm and every other which way. How do you handle this?
This is something all of our clients are going to see, for heaven's sake. Arghhh.
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i think the unfortunate truth is that in many cases the 'boss' is so supremely confident of him/herself that it is virtually impossible to make suggestions or corrections. Case in point: My husband owns a company with two other partners, and they recently drew up a sales contract with an important airline, and my husband sent it to me for typographical review. there were several errors i found which the writer (not my husband, but one of his partners) conceded should be corrected, but there was one glaring grammatical error that he argued into the ground, and he was *completely* wrong. the sentence was as follows:
"AMI’s warranty conditions described herein is subject to the following":
i tried to explain that "conditions" is the subject, with warranty being in this case a modifier, and that "is" should be changed to "are", but he was absolutely adamant that "warranty" was the subject, and the contract was sent out with the offending "is".
bottom line, at least it's not *your* name on the letterhead, right? small consolation, but all you can do is try to help...
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Carpal Tunnel
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bridget96, the sentence would have been correct with the addition of two commas:
"AMI’s warranty, conditions described herein, is subject to the following":
==========================================================
BelM, correcting one's boss is a sticky situation! Whether to do it really depends on the circumstances. However, I will stick to the one you seem to be describing: your
company's clients are going to see a web page that may not
be exactly confidence-inspiring, and it is important enough to you that you have made repeated efforts to get it changed.
I have two ideas about what you might try: see if there is anyone who: will listen to your ideas and probably agree with them, AND--who has the ear of the boss, and get this
person to try and persuade the boss. My other one is to
write a memo to the boss (I believe it is good business practice to keep copies of any and all memos you send.) saying, first, why you're writing: that you are very concerned about xxx. Then explain why you're concerned. Lastly, offer concrete examples of changes you
think would be well-advised. This will give him something
to work from, if he's willing, and, if he's typical, he will want to make changes to your changes. But if they're still good grammar and spelling--you've won. Good luck!
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Wow, jackie... wish i'd thought of that. the funny thing is i was half tempted to solicit the advice of the board members, but opted against it. now i wish i would've done so; he'd have likely been amenable to the commas.
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How DO you go about correcting your bosses? Or do you? ...our web page is going to be horrendous. The phrases are convoluted, words are used improperly and proper grammar, well, virtually nonexistent.Before attemptng the following, be sure the money needed is in random bills. Wash and iron them to clean off fingerprints ... it won't hurt the money. Before handling washed money don gloves to avoid prints. Then : 1. Put on a disguise -- wig, gloves, veil, hat, whatever. 2. Take bus or train to a nearby CITY where you are not likely to be known or seen. 3.Go to a bookstore and buy sufficient copies of Strunk & White's : "Elements of Style" to give one to each boss.Have the clerk choose and bag them. 4. Pay cash from your washed money. 5. Return home. Be sure you aren't being followed. 6. Wrap each book in plain brown paper -- remember to wear the gloves... 7. Go in to work early and, wearing latex gloves, place a copy in the center of each Boss's desk. 8. Destroy the gloves in the paper shredder.(forensics, you know!)  PLAN B : Sign 'em all up for A Word A Day. Good luck. wow
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But, alas, the old dictum still applies. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.
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Perhaps I'm a little lucky. My boss recognises his difficulty with writing clear English when in a hurry and generally asks me to read and correct his papers, particularly those going out to customers or to the board of directors. Or he asks me to write them for him, particularly if there is a need to do some research.
Better yet, he acknowledges my help, so much so that the CEO sometimes asks him which of us actually wrote the paper. But then they're both very reasonable people who I get on with very well, and in that I know that I'm unusually fortunate!
For web-site specific issues, we don't go to the boss, we go to the webmistress and her little elves. They're more than happy when someone points out that there's whoops! on the pages.
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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we go to the webmistress and her little elves. They're more than happy when someone points out that there's whoops! on the pages.
I wish. They have these things written up by the graphic artist (boss's wife) who believes artists have special dispensation from grammar rules (her words).
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You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.
Hence Plan B
wow
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the graphic artist ... believes artists have special dispensation from grammar rules (her words).
Oh, no they aren't. At least not in the newspaper business.
Artists and photographers are required to follow the rules and get their knuckles rapped by Editors when grammar rules are broken. Phojos write the cutlines (the bit under the photo) and sometimes there are cutlines under a graphic or IN the graphic itself.
As an aside, awhile ago there was moaning in TV from older news people that the "new breed" were sadly lacking in basic grammar and further moans that the reason was that the young people entering TV lacked basic training in newspapers -- where words and the rules ruled!
Now, I have heard, there is more emphasis on grammar and conciseness in many college courses in TV reporting!
This all comes with the caveat that the Older Generation always tends to bemoan the slip in current academics! And yet the ol' world keeps on turning!
All this not much help, but posts are sadly off because of the weekend and I am stuck inside by snow, with ice and sleet expected .. so I write!
Old Coot wow
wow
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