how someone replies to an ad is important

[Ross Brown]

When posting an ad for musicians to join a band, etc. I have found that when the reply comes back in texting style format (no puctuation, no caps, misspelled words, fragments) I tend to rule the responder out as a good candidate. This may be a mistake but I can't help it. I think good communication skills are an important part of working with someone.

 

Would you say this is a valid criteria in your experience?

[duff beer]

Text shorthand and bad spelling always comes across to me as amateur and juvenile.

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

IMHO, there is usually a direct corrolation between the way someone responds to an ad and their professionalism. Case in point one of the "email flame war" threads that just recently appeared.

[b5pilot]

Text shorthand and bad spelling always comes across to me as amateur and juvenile.

 

I feel that way too. I suppose if you're one of those folks that texts 6 zillion times a day a little shorthand goes a long way. So I guess writing in short just becomes a habit.

[jlrush]

Text shorthand and bad spelling always comes across to me as amateur and juvenile.

Or, as is the case these days, it could mean that person is someone who texts a lot.

[Bottom End]

Call me a cranky old man, but I notice bad grammar and spelling, and I also consider it unprofessional to use text-speak in that type of correspondence.

[duff beer]

Text shorthand and bad spelling always comes across to me as amateur and juvenile.

Or, as is the case these days, it could mean that person is someone who texts a lot.

 

I also have a bias against people who text a lot...

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

... so, if I text frequently, it's ok to use shorthand on a job resume?

 

If you are responding to an ad that is written in shorthand, I guess it's OK. That's how most kids are communicating anyway. But if I'm reponding to a well written, well thought ad for a musician, I'm breaking out the grammar book.

[jlrush]

Not trying to defend someone's choice to use text speak. Just sayin' that it may show the persons age more than anything else. That's the way a lot of kids communicate these days.

Job resume?? I have a job, and any band I'm playing in is purely for fun, not money.

[J. Dan]

omg lmao I agree C U L8R

[fingertalkin]

ROTFLMAO!!!

[Graham56]

Of course, posting a message like this does leave you open to smartasses like me...

 

Ross complained of:

no puctuation , no caps, misspelled words

 

Sorry!

 

Graham

[duff beer]

Of course, posting a message like this does leave you open to smartasses like me...

 

Ross complained of:

no puctuation , no caps, misspelled words

 

Sorry!

 

Graham

I saw that too, but can forgive the occasional error if the rest of it is fine. Most often those mistakes come from typing too fast.

 

It's the ones who use "there" all the time as if "they're" and "their" don't exist, or "your" for every instance of "you're" who can't blame their bad grammar on a keystroke error.

 

 

[EddiePlaysBass]

It's the ones who use "there" all the time as if "they're" and "their" don't exist, or "your" for every instance of "you're" who can't blame their bad grammar on a keystroke error.

 

Bad educational system, then ? Too bad this would lead this discussion too far OT for this forum. I know a lot of grown-up, native English (or American English) speakers who make those same kinds of mistakes, so those particular examples are not attributable to texting all day.

 

I find that if I post an ad, someone actually replies, and I go all Erik Van Buren on them (i.e. non-concise posting) they tend to not reply any more. What's up with that ? Too bothered to read more than one sentence ? Too afraid to join someone who actually has a plan other than "Let's get together and jam some tunes, man!!"

[Chad Thorne]

I'm with ya, Graham!

Would you say this is a valid criteria in your experience?

One = criterion

Two or more = criteria

 

Don't mean to be a jerk, but - o.k., I'm a jerk...

 

I agree with you, Ross. Computers are wonderful, but we are raising people who don't/can't read, spell, use correct grammar/punctuation. It may sound egotistical, but I'm a smart, educated, articulate guy, and I need to work with others who are also. Fortunately, I do.

[EddiePlaysBass]

Computers are wonderful, but we are raising people who don't/can't read, spell, use correct grammar/punctuation.

 

In my ever so humble opinion, the two are not -necessarily- linked. Less and less attention is given in schools (here in Belgium) to grammar, punctuation and spelling. So is it any wonder why our kids today can't write a decent sentence?

[Bottom End]

Exactly, computers are tools, not a replacement for the knowledge of the proper usage and rules of a language.

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

I live and die by my F7 key at work. Hate to admitted, but historically, I am a miserable speller.

[Groove Mama]

Computers are wonderful, but we are raising people who don't/can't read, spell, use correct grammar/punctuation.

 

Less and less attention is given in schools (here in Belgium) to grammar, punctuation and spelling.

 

Actually, I think it's a combination of both fronts. I attended parochial school in the '60s. We had neither a science lab nor a tricked-out media center, but those nuns made danged sure we could write a coherent sentence, as well as punctuate and spell correctly.

 

As my kids have gone through the public school system, I have seen a seismic shift away from this emphasis. My kids have even caught gross spelling and grammatical errors in materials handed out by their teachers!

 

I have done my best to supplement the meager instruction they've had in school. My daughter has received several writing awards and is now a freshman honors journalism major at Mizzou. My son is a good writer, also.

 

But they're certainly not born knowing this stuff, so they need instruction both at school and at home.

 

By the way, my kids IM and text ALL the time, but they know when and how to shift gears and trot out proper English.

(Sorry for the long post, but this topic really gets my goat as well.)

[b5pilot]

It's been a long time since we've lived in a common society that valued proper English. It's just not "cool". For generations we Americans have pretty much been ruled by "slanguage" of one kind or another. At least when I was growing up we were provided the tools for proper speaking. We just chose not to use them. I'm not so sure these days. Then again, education in general has been slacking, in my opinion.

[jcadmus]

Well, all I can say is that all those youngsters coming up who expect the the world to meet them on their terms are in for a very rude awakening.

 

As was every generation that proceeded them.

 

"What? I didn't get the job? What the...?"

 

Most of us learn the lesson -- some never do.

[J. Dan]

I attended parochial school in the '60s. .....As my kids have gone through the public school system, I have seen a seismic shift away from this emphasis.

 

Do you think parochial vs public school could have as much to do with this as changing times? Our public school system is absolutely horrible in the City of St. Louis, so my daughter will definitely be attending a parochial school (starting Kindergarten in the fall, goes to private preschool now). Based on all of the scholarships and class rankings of the graduates of this school, I'm pretty sure my daughter will learn proper grammar - in English AND Spanish, they teach both languages beginning in Kindergarten.

 

My daughter has received several writing awards and is now a freshman honors journalism major at Mizzou.

My Niece is a journalism major at Mizzou and has written for the Missourian. I think she graduates at the end of this year.

[jeremy c]

If you look at the writings of both famous and not famous people from the 1600's, 1700's, and 1800's, you will see that spelling was very creative and individualistic.

 

Then in the 1900's it got better and now in the 2000's it's getting worse again.

 

Personally, I would rather hang out with literate people and that includes people who can read and write music correctly as well.

[Groove Mama]

Personally, I would rather hang out with literate people and that includes people who can read and write music correctly as well.

 

Uh-oh. Guess I'd better mind my P flats and Q sharps. :-)

[TimR]

It's just sloppiness. They know how to spell and write, they just can't be bothered to do it. I mentioned the use of there, their, they're to a band leader who was sending emails to wedding couples and (copying me in). He said he knew he always got confused but didn't seem bothered by it.

 

Either learn it or get someone to proof read it. Only takes a minute.

 

 

In the 1600s etc there was not standardised mass education. Generally only the clergy could write and they were taught by hand me down knowledge.

 

A quick search of the interweb shows me Samuel Johnson was the first to compile a 'standard' dictionary in 1775. There were some before, but none that attempted to do what Johnson did.

[b5pilot]

If you look at the writings of both famous and not famous people from the 1600's, 1700's, and 1800's, you will see that spelling was very creative and individualistic.

 

Then in the 1900's it got better and now in the 2000's it's getting worse again.

 

Personally, I would rather hang out with literate people and that includes people who can read and write music correctly as well.

 

Those early times there were no standards for spelling as schooling was not standardised and because of the melting pot the language was still developing. Today personally, I blame "Hooked on Phonics". A lot of kids were taught to spell the way it sounds and unfortunately it stuck. It's easy and mindless so that makes it easy to adapt to. Kind of like the way most musicians handle music. Unfortunately I include myself in that category of musician but I'm trying.

[Groove Mama]

I attended parochial school in the '60s. .....As my kids have gone through the public school system, I have seen a seismic shift away from this emphasis.

 

Do you think parochial vs public school could have as much to do with this as changing times?

 

Good question, Dan. I just don't have an easy, defiinitive answer for you.

 

I will say that back in my day and environment, a parochial school education was very much a no-frills affair. There was no band, no PE, no sports (at least for girls :-() and no enrichment of any kind. I didn't have a science or social studies class until I was in 7th grade.

 

As a result, the schoolday was jam-packed with the four R's -- readin', writin', 'rithmetic and religion -- and, man, those nuns really jammed it in! They were sticklers.

 

And on a side note, my 5th grade classroom had 54 kids in it; the other 5th grade classroom had 63 kids! And yet, despite each class having only one teacher and no aide or parent helpers, there were no discipline problems. I think that was a function of both the parochial-school environment and the times.

 

Anyway, as for our public school system, I now live in a relatively affluent Chicago suburb (Batavia), and our school system is fairly highly rated. I think there's just a different emphasis in curriculum these days. My kids have been exposed to many more subjects at an earlier age than I was, so maybe that's one of the reasons there's not as much time spent on English fundamentals.

[Groove Mama]

I live and die by my F7 key at work. Hate to admitted, but historically, I am a miserable speller.

 

You know, Flank, I don't think that's anything to be ashamed of. Some people are naturally gifted at spelling, while others are naturally gifted at learning foreign languages or playing an instrument.

 

I think the key, though, is recognizing your spelling deficiency and knowing how to compensate for it; e.g., by using the F7 key.

 

 

 

Little Miss Will County Spelling Bee Finalist of 1967

[Groove Mama]

Today personally, I blame "Hooked on Phonics". A lot of kids were taught to spell the way it sounds and unfortunately it stuck.

 

Gotta disagree with you there, b5. In my mind, the "whole language" approach was the problem; phonics is the answer. Unbeknownst to me, my son taught himself how to read at 4 years old by playing an educational video game called "Sound-It-Out Land." Once you understand the individual letter sounds and how they go together in various combos, it gives you the tools you need to both read and spell. My 2 cents, anyway.

[Groove Mama]

So after bragging on how highly literate my kids are, I come home tonight to find that Sonny Boy has gotten a B in English, so I'm going to shut up on this topic for a while. (Wonder if there's a cure for laziness...)