We all have that one friend who remembers a little too much of what was taught in their high school English class. Invariably, this person will use their knowledge to be a royal pain; pointing out missed apostrophes, Americanisms and spelling errors with an air of condescending superiority. To many people, I am that one friend. I feel this label is unjust. As a result, this piece will be, in part, a response to those who decry me as a ‘Grammar Nazi’.
First of all, it is important to define my opinion of what is meant by the term ‘proper English’.
Put most simply, I feel that proper English is anything that is written in a clear and understandable way. After all, the whole point of language is to allow us to communicate with others in a way that expresses what we are trying to convey accurately. My own ‘grammar Nazism’ only raises its head when the rules people break affect what they are trying to say (honestly).
Arguments about the use of English arise because standards are constantly changing. What was acceptable just a few years ago may not be seen as acceptable today, and vice versa. This change seems to be what upsets some people. They have gone to the trouble of learning what they see as the correct rules of writing and as a result, take it upon themselves to ensure everybody else follows them to the letter.
When it comes to content creation; how accurately should these rules be followed? I feel the answer is that they should be followed to the extent that they are relevant to the style of content you’re writing. Good content engages readers. This should be the driving force behind your writing. The key to creating engaging content is to write with a tone that is appropriate to the reader:
- For serious pieces, such as news articles, standard English is important. It shows that the writer is taking the subject seriously, leading to the reader doing the same in turn. Think of formal writing as written equivalent of wearing a suit and tie. Just as viewers wouldn’t react well to a newsreader dressed in sweatpants, readers will not react well to casual writing when the situation calls for formality.
- For informal blog posts, I feel it is fine to write as one would speak. And that includes things like beginning sentences with ‘and’. Formal writing can be stifling because most people are used to speaking in a more relaxed manner. It can actually be more difficult for them to express themselves when strictly following rules. Bending these rules a great way for bloggers to inject their own personality into their writing.
Formal writing is great for job applications and CVs. It isn’t so great at encouraging your average internet user to read your personal blog.
One of the side-effects of the infatuation with rules is that many people are now hesitant to express themselves through their writing for fear of being corrected. All of the fun has been sucked out of writing, leaving many articles and blogs being safe, stuffy and bland. My advice would be to express yourself in a way that makes sense. Use less instead of fewer if you want. Use disinterested and uninterested interchangeably and most importantly, enjoy yourself when writing. As long as your message isn’t lost in the process, everything negative that comes afterwards is just pointless pedantry.