It’s Like, You Know. And PLEASE don’t “tow the line”, when a “toe” will suffice.
[a word of warning before you read on: I've already been hit with feedback that this is a bit of a heavy rant.]
To that I say: And rightly so.
Why?
Partly because it’s worthwhile re-reading that excerpt below. But also because it’s become increasingly common to see horrendous typos and lackadaisical attitudes when it comes to social media (SoMe) communications. I mean, we’re now down to just 140 characters or less, so is it too much to ask for some level of accuracy (and in turn, a bit of respect for the audience)? When you see an update from a “senoir” executive and he’s referring to earnings as “bellow” expectations (really not surprising, given this rather poor attention to detail), it’s enough to make one shout, if you catch my drift. The odd mistake or “mistype” may clearly be excused, given that the need for speed and tiny keypads are much the norm today. However, consistently poor use — and abuse — of the language comes across as blatantly unprofessional. In the worst case, it may even put some customers off .
SO, please do be careful before you hit that send, save, submit or update button.
Here are 6 guidelines to remember when blogging, tweeting, texting and whatever one wants to achieve over the SoMe space that still stand true:
1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print (the word “print” is used loosely here)
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do (hmm…great advice for tweets and texting!)
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, ALWAYS cut it out (ditto)
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or jargon if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
I’m sure you’ve figured out these were written much before instant messaging, texting, Twitter, Facebook, etc., came on the scene. In fact, the guidelines are from a 1946 Orwellian essay! 60+ years on, they still make a lot of sense.
Brilliant excerpt follows:
Our civilization is decadent and our language — so the argument runs — must inevitably share in the general collapse. It follows that any struggle against the abuse of language is a sentimental archaism, like preferring candles to electric light or hansom cabs to airplanes (or letter writing to Twitter?). Underneath this lies the half-conscious belief that language is a natural growth and not an instrument which we shape for our own purposes.
Now, it is clear that the decline of a language must ultimately have political and economic causes (potentially social too): it is not due simply to the bad influence of this or that individual writer. But an effect can become a cause, reinforcing the original cause and producing the same effect in an intensified form, and so on indefinitely. A man may take to drink because he feels himself to be a failure, and then fail all the more completely because he drinks. It is rather the same thing that is happening to the English language. It becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts.
The point is that the process is reversible.
Modern English, especially written English, is full of bad habits which spread by imitation and which can be avoided if one is willing to take the necessary trouble. If one gets rid of these habits one can think more clearly, and to think clearly is a necessary first step…
I look forward to your thoughts, counter-arguments, bellows (no, really) and rants in the comments below. If you dare, read the complete—and rather valuable–George Orwell “Politics and the English Language” essay here.
