27-07-2019, 05:54 PM
12
Re: Jacob Rees-Mogg lays the law down on Grammar.
I would imagine most young people would laugh about Grammar even being important enough to discuss in today's modern world. After all, most correspondence is usually via WhatsApp or Text with shortcuts such U for You and 4 for Four or For etc. Even when sending a Birthday Card, I even do it via Moonpig or The Dog's Doodah. so never having to write anything with necessary punctuation. In fact, the only time I seem to type anything where punctuation etc has to be used, is on OFF.I know just how important checking one's work is though. I have told this before but when I was working in London as part of a secretarial pool, I had to type an extremely important 46 page A4 document from Shell Headquarters to one of their overseas board meetings due to be held that evening.
The originator's writing was quite clear so with the assistance of a packet of Smith's Crisps and a carton of Orange Juice, I got through the task during the morning.
Then came the second task of proof-reading it. I knew that what I had typed was correct as I had checked it page by page before commencing with the next, but now I was going through it thoroughly to ensure all paragraphs, Capital letters and correct punctuation was where it should all be, as well as the all-important correct spelling.
By the time I got to proof-reading the very last A4 page with absolutely no errors so far, I was feeling very self-satisfied with my work and looking forward to lunch with the girls. That was my biggest error! because I didn't do the job properly. I happily handed the document over to someone to fax it overseas, ready for the Board members to have for their meeting. My immediate boss even patted me on the back for getting it done so quickly.
Off to lunch I went.
One hour later, I returned to my desk to face my Boss, whose exacts words were. Oh God, Mary, what did you do??? and showed me the very last line of the very last page, where I had typed the sentence " So in conclusion, the counts are correct". but Dear Lord, I had missed out the letter 'o' in the word 'counts'.
I really cannot tell you how I felt at that moment in time. My head was spinning, (could have been the lunchtime glass of wine I guess) but I really thought I was going to be sacked! but thank goodness, the board members at Shell thought it was absolutely hilarious after the initial shock of reading that disgusting word that no decent person would ever utter. Even my boss had a chuckle about it after finding that no action was being taken against me.
Needless to say though, I was mortified over such a dreadful error.
Phew, that's why I fully support 'thoroughly' checking one's work, right to the very last word! .
27-07-2019, 07:20 PM
14
Re: Jacob Rees-Mogg lays the law down on Grammar.
Having just received this in an email from a well know Craft Company I think JRM has his work cut for him!Amazing Offers For a Limited Time Only!
Plus Free Postage when your spending over £10!
Just a little offer to apologise for the website going down yesterday.
27-07-2019, 07:56 PM
16
Re: Jacob Rees-Mogg lays the law down on Grammar.
Originally Posted by shropshiregirl
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Good for Jacob.He has introduced specific rules for staff in his new office with a style guide banning them from using certain words and ensuring their grammar is correct.
Now maybe some are thinking he should be concentrating on more important things, but I say - good luck to him. I don’t pretend to get things correct every time I post on here myself. It is after all, 55 years since I walked out of the school gates for the last time, and that included failing my 11 plus. But, there are some important things I remember from English lessons in school and doing my best to get grammar correct was one of them. (was not successful on everything, of course. Still too generous with the commas where they shouldn't be.)
Jacob has let it be known that he expects organisations must be singular, there should be a double space after fullstops and staff should use imperial measurements.
Mr Rees-Mogg even used bold writing to tell his staff that they must ‘check’ their work, according to a copy of the guidelines obtained by ITV News.
The banned words from the new Cabinet member include the words - very, hopefully, ongoing, ascertain and unacceptable. He also said that the phrases ‘I am pleased to learn’ as well as ‘I understand your concerns’ should not be used anymore.
So, here are the banned words:-
Organisations are SINGULAR
All non-titled males - Esq.
There is no fullstop after Miss or Ms
M.P.’s - no need to write M.P. after their name in body of text
Double space after fullstops
No comma after the word 'and'
CHECK your work
Use imperial measurements.
The only one I don’t see on there and which I frequently see on OFF (guilty too as I get older and lazier) is commencing a sentence with the word AND. My old English teacher, Miss Dorricott, would be turning in her grave!
Anyway, what are your thoughts on this? I personally think Jacob Rees-Mogg is a beautifully spoken, eloquent person, so should be respected for having his correspondence done correctly without having to correct it himself.
Twitter users have been arguing over this today, just wondered what you think. I do appreciate that times change and what was not acceptable in grammar in my schooldays are no longer relevant in today’s world, but do you, like me, think that correct grammar has been allowed to lapse too much over the years? Or do you simply not care?
My own personal sin? I use the edit button every single time because I’m too lazy to check my work before I press submit. It’s only when checking it later I notice the howlers I’ve made.
27-07-2019, 08:35 PM
18
Re: Jacob Rees-Mogg lays the law down on Grammar.
Originally Posted by shropshiregirl
->
One hour later, I returned to my desk to face my Boss, whose exacts words were. Oh God, Mary, what did you do??? and showed me the very last line of the very last page, where I had typed the sentence " So in conclusion, the counts are correct". but Dear Lord, I had missed out the letter 'o' in the word 'counts'.
I wonder if word has a profanity filter these days!
27-07-2019, 08:39 PM
19
Re: Jacob Rees-Mogg lays the law down on Grammar.
Originally Posted by shropshiregirl
->
I would imagine most young people would laugh about Grammar even being important enough to discuss in today's modern world. After all, most correspondence is usually via WhatsApp or Text with shortcuts such U for You and 4 for Four or For etc. Even when sending a Birthday Card, I even do it via Moonpig or The Dog's Doodah. so never having to write anything with necessary punctuation. In fact, the only time I seem to type anything where punctuation etc has to be used, is on OFF.I know just how important checking one's work is though. I have told this before but when I was working in London as part of a secretarial pool, I had to type an extremely important 46 page A4 document from Shell Headquarters to one of their overseas board meetings due to be held that evening.
The originator's writing was quite clear so with the assistance of a packet of Smith's Crisps and a carton of Orange Juice, I got through the task during the morning.
Then came the second task of proof-reading it. I knew that what I had typed was correct as I had checked it page by page before commencing with the next, but now I was going through it thoroughly to ensure all paragraphs, Capital letters and correct punctuation was where it should all be, as well as the all-important correct spelling.
By the time I got to proof-reading the very last A4 page with absolutely no errors so far, I was feeling very self-satisfied with my work and looking forward to lunch with the girls. That was my biggest error! because I didn't do the job properly. I happily handed the document over to someone to fax it overseas, ready for the Board members to have for their meeting. My immediate boss even patted me on the back for getting it done so quickly.
Off to lunch I went.
One hour later, I returned to my desk to face my Boss, whose exacts words were. Oh God, Mary, what did you do??? and showed me the very last line of the very last page, where I had typed the sentence " So in conclusion, the counts are correct". but Dear Lord, I had missed out the letter 'o' in the word 'counts'.
I really cannot tell you how I felt at that moment in time. My head was spinning, (could have been the lunchtime glass of wine I guess) but I really thought I was going to be sacked! but thank goodness, the board members at Shell thought it was absolutely hilarious after the initial shock of reading that disgusting word that no decent person would ever utter. Even my boss had a chuckle about it after finding that no action was being taken against me.
Needless to say though, I was mortified over such a dreadful error.
Phew, that's why I fully support 'thoroughly' checking one's work, right to the very last word! .
27-07-2019, 08:40 PM
20
Re: Jacob Rees-Mogg lays the law down on Grammar.
Originally Posted by Longdogs
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Don't even get me started on those that put the width before the height orfit the cold tap on the left.
Best to have the single mixer tap so there's no margin of error
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