Monday, March 28, 2011
Responses Fail to Satisfy
I have discovered that, when I inform a company of its failings, I expect a bit more grovelling and apologising than has been forthcoming to date. Another example of my dissatisfaction occurred via email today. I emailed a large stationery company about the peculiarity of my daughter's birthday present diary. She informed me last night that October was followed by May, June and July, in the diary. That meant November and December - most importantly Christmas! - were non-existent! I immediately emailed the company concerned to inform them of this travesty. On the positive side, a reply email was received in a timely fashion. However, on the negative side, they were merely "sorry to hear of the fault" with the diary and urged my daughter to return it for a replacement or a refund. The least I expected was news of a full investigation to check whether the problem was widespread! However, nothing of this nature was revealed. How disappointing!
Friday, March 25, 2011
My first success
Today my campaign for the improvement of English usage had a small success. It didn't turn into financial reward but, nevertheless, it was a small step towards my goal. I received an email reply from a woman at the company with the misspelled word on the oven chip packet. I was a bit confused about the email at first, because the correspondent was asking for the barcode. I emailed that and received another email asking whether the packet ingredients included canola oil or beef fat. I answered that question as well. The next email explained that those facts had clarified it was a spelling error on the new packets. She concluded: "I have found the error on our new packaging and currently being addressed by our marketing & design team." To me, the English in that sentence is seriously weird (not to mention the annoying use of the amphersand). But you get used to that in emails, so I'll let it slide on this occasion. My interpretation of the email was that the error I had pointed out would be fixed. Sadly, the email was not accompanied by an offer of thanks, payment or free oven chips. My campaign continues.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
I am not Perfect!
After posting about the unfortunate series of spelling events that have befallen others, my sister has suggested that I could add my own latest error. I agree, humbly. Or, more correctly, I humbly agree. Actually, I have no idea how to order the words in that sentence.
So here's my spelling confession: Today I was happily writing something for an unnamed employer and I had cause to use the word 'tranquillity'. Therein lies the problem. I have always believed (and secretly still do) that tranquility is the correct way to spell that word. One 'l'. I'm sure you'll agree that it looks ridiculous with 'll'. The spell check on my computer was the first to point out my inaccuracy. What? I asked. You must be joking! Perhaps it's the American spelling, or some glitch in the system, I thought. But no. My trusty Essential Collins Dictionary informed me that the computer knows more about spelling than I do. However, I have to add that the jury's still out. I am currently in search of a dictionary that suggests there is more than one way to spell tranquility.
So here's my spelling confession: Today I was happily writing something for an unnamed employer and I had cause to use the word 'tranquillity'. Therein lies the problem. I have always believed (and secretly still do) that tranquility is the correct way to spell that word. One 'l'. I'm sure you'll agree that it looks ridiculous with 'll'. The spell check on my computer was the first to point out my inaccuracy. What? I asked. You must be joking! Perhaps it's the American spelling, or some glitch in the system, I thought. But no. My trusty Essential Collins Dictionary informed me that the computer knows more about spelling than I do. However, I have to add that the jury's still out. I am currently in search of a dictionary that suggests there is more than one way to spell tranquility.
The first attempt...
Yesterday I emailed the company with the misspelling of occasionally on the oven chips packet, to give them the benefit of my spelling expertise. I was seriously impressed with their website. It's the best I can remember seeing in a very long time. The website's 'contact us' page insisted I would receive a reply before I could say 'custard square'. Sadly, this has not occurred. I could have made and eaten a substantial number of custard squares in the time it's taken them to fail to reply. However, I chose not to walk that fateful path at this stage. I am a very accomplished custard square maker (that's vanilla slice to some of you), but I can't take all the credit. The recipe I use in the well-thumbed Edmonds Cook Book in my pantry is so easy that any fool with a pot and a wooden spoon could succeed - especially when you do as I do and use pre-made, pre-rolled, pre-squared pastry. However, I digress...
So the point is, I have not received a reply. Perhaps I never will. Today I tried to email another website about an errant apostrophe or two which boiled my blood. The misuse of the apostrophe can cause problems in my behaviour and this was a prime example - you're instead of your. Come on people! It's not that difficult.
The thing is, the company has not received my well spelled suggestion for a change to its FAQs page. I know this because I got a strangely named 'daemon' message purporting to have failed the delivery of the message despite numerous attempts. So, as well as using unnecessary apostrophes, this well-intentioned company has a FAQs page with a section for making comments which I can't access. I have no further comment at this stage. (sighs and returns to other, more pressing, duties...)
Back again... While I was engaging in other pressing (paid) duties, I found another website with little understanding of the use of the apostrophe. This was a travel website and was actually really well written by someone who may or may not have had English as their first language. However, the person in question was inconsistent in their use of apostrophes. So, in keeping with my new endeavour, I emailed the information officer listed in the contacts and offered my services. I await a reply. This time, there was no mention of custard squares.
So the point is, I have not received a reply. Perhaps I never will. Today I tried to email another website about an errant apostrophe or two which boiled my blood. The misuse of the apostrophe can cause problems in my behaviour and this was a prime example - you're instead of your. Come on people! It's not that difficult.
The thing is, the company has not received my well spelled suggestion for a change to its FAQs page. I know this because I got a strangely named 'daemon' message purporting to have failed the delivery of the message despite numerous attempts. So, as well as using unnecessary apostrophes, this well-intentioned company has a FAQs page with a section for making comments which I can't access. I have no further comment at this stage. (sighs and returns to other, more pressing, duties...)
Back again... While I was engaging in other pressing (paid) duties, I found another website with little understanding of the use of the apostrophe. This was a travel website and was actually really well written by someone who may or may not have had English as their first language. However, the person in question was inconsistent in their use of apostrophes. So, in keeping with my new endeavour, I emailed the information officer listed in the contacts and offered my services. I await a reply. This time, there was no mention of custard squares.
Friday, March 18, 2011
The inspiration
You know how some people are born to be tidy? They can't help cleaning a bench or picking up a piece of lint. Well, I'm not one of those. Instead, I seem to have been born to correct people's spelling, grammar and punctuation. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm perfect at it myself. And when I find something to correct in my own work, I'm mortified. How could that have slipped through? Surely I didn't actually write that!
I sometimes wonder if my life's work is ridding the world of spelling errors. Out of the three skills mentioned in the blog title, spelling is certainly my strength. I have some strengths and weaknesses in punctuation and I feel in awe of those wonderful people who understand grammar. My understanding and use of grammar works a bit like those talented souls who can play a tune on a piano without having learned to read music. I can't remember actually learning grammar, but I have a knack for what sounds right. I certainly know what I know. For example, if someone in my family says they "could of done something" I have to resist the urge to become extremely violent.
I know I'm my father's daughter when it comes to these traits. He was critical of errors of this nature, especially those in print. So I have him to blame for my overactive English language radar. Thanks Dad! He was particularly critical of journalists who "should have known better". Being a journalist myself, I was often a target of my father's wrath where correct usage was concerned - particularly with grammar. "Call yourself a journalist?" was an all too familiar refrain.
So now I find myself doing the same thing. He has passed on and I have picked up the mantle. Journalists are very frustrating though, I have to admit. Newspapers are riddled with mistakes and the editors don't seem to care. Television and radio reporters are often so young and ill informed that their pronunciation and sentence structure make me cringe.
But what to do about all this? Is it best to squash it down? Or should I nurture this skill and let it bloom? This blog is an attempt at feeding the plant to see if something grows. I plan to use this blog to note down the errors I come across in spoken or written daily life and whether I do anything about them.
And here's where you come in! I would love to hear from others with the same affliction. Let me know what 'howlers' you discover in your part of the world - and particularly whether you decide to do anything about it. I read a story once about a man who travelled everywhere with a black marker and a bottle of Twink. The black marker was to add in the letters that were missing from any signs he came across - usually in fruit and vegetable shops! The Twink was to eliminate those errant apostrophes and extra letters that he found in the same places. I'm contemplating a similar approach, but time will tell if I decide to follow through.
In the meantime, here's today's offering. I discovered this error a few days ago on a packet of oven chips in my freezer. The instructions say to bake the chips in the centre of the oven, "turning occassionally". I was especially surprised to see this because it's unusual to see spelling errors on packaging, unless the product comes from a country where English isn't the first language. That isn't the case with this product. Phoning them up to point out the problem is currently on my 'to do' list. I'll blog about that at some stage.
I sometimes wonder if my life's work is ridding the world of spelling errors. Out of the three skills mentioned in the blog title, spelling is certainly my strength. I have some strengths and weaknesses in punctuation and I feel in awe of those wonderful people who understand grammar. My understanding and use of grammar works a bit like those talented souls who can play a tune on a piano without having learned to read music. I can't remember actually learning grammar, but I have a knack for what sounds right. I certainly know what I know. For example, if someone in my family says they "could of done something" I have to resist the urge to become extremely violent.
I know I'm my father's daughter when it comes to these traits. He was critical of errors of this nature, especially those in print. So I have him to blame for my overactive English language radar. Thanks Dad! He was particularly critical of journalists who "should have known better". Being a journalist myself, I was often a target of my father's wrath where correct usage was concerned - particularly with grammar. "Call yourself a journalist?" was an all too familiar refrain.
So now I find myself doing the same thing. He has passed on and I have picked up the mantle. Journalists are very frustrating though, I have to admit. Newspapers are riddled with mistakes and the editors don't seem to care. Television and radio reporters are often so young and ill informed that their pronunciation and sentence structure make me cringe.
But what to do about all this? Is it best to squash it down? Or should I nurture this skill and let it bloom? This blog is an attempt at feeding the plant to see if something grows. I plan to use this blog to note down the errors I come across in spoken or written daily life and whether I do anything about them.
And here's where you come in! I would love to hear from others with the same affliction. Let me know what 'howlers' you discover in your part of the world - and particularly whether you decide to do anything about it. I read a story once about a man who travelled everywhere with a black marker and a bottle of Twink. The black marker was to add in the letters that were missing from any signs he came across - usually in fruit and vegetable shops! The Twink was to eliminate those errant apostrophes and extra letters that he found in the same places. I'm contemplating a similar approach, but time will tell if I decide to follow through.
In the meantime, here's today's offering. I discovered this error a few days ago on a packet of oven chips in my freezer. The instructions say to bake the chips in the centre of the oven, "turning occassionally". I was especially surprised to see this because it's unusual to see spelling errors on packaging, unless the product comes from a country where English isn't the first language. That isn't the case with this product. Phoning them up to point out the problem is currently on my 'to do' list. I'll blog about that at some stage.
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