Col. Writingpen answers your questions

A few, ahem, years ago, I wrote a blog about a character I created for a college paper named Col. Writingpen. The blog post generated many comments and questions about grammar and syntax rules for “newer” writing platforms, such as e-mails, blogs and texts.

After years of pestering him, I have persuaded Col. Writingpen to come out of retirement and answer your questions. (That’s why this follow-up blog has taken so long.) With that, I’ll hand over this blog to the Colonel.

 

MKC writes:

Does each form of communication have its own grammar and syntax rules? When I instant message, I tend not to use capitalization or punctuation. But when I email, I always do, and find it frustrating when others don't. A grammatical double-standard?

Dear MKC,

Why yes, I do believe each form of communication has its own grammar and syntax rules; you have different tools at your disposal and varying restrictions on length of the communication. An abbreviation that would be appropriate in a text message might come off as lazy in an email.

Now, you mentioned two forms of communication that, more often than not, take place on the same platform – a standard desktop computing device. You, my dear, are one of the rare ones who holds email in such high regard.

I would say you are in the right by paying closer attention to your writing in an e-mail, and for many reasons. It’s so easy to type something the reader might interpret differently than what you meant; cattywampus grammar and punctuation only exacerbates the problem. This can lead to a confusing series of back-and-forth emails where neither of you knows what the other is trying to say anymore! Sure, the same thing can happen in an instant message, but those tend to be shorter and fleeting, more akin to a phone conversation where language is more casual and any confusion can be cleared up quickly.

Happy Communicating,

Col. Writingpen

Listening as a daily practice

Listening is a vital skill and an important way we learn. In fact, 85 percent of what we know, we’ve learned by listening.

But listening is something we modern people do not do well. We live in a fast-paced culture, and we’re prone to the quick response, to speech and to action. We have a love/hate relationship with listening.

Perhaps it is because we listen at a much slower pace than we think: we listen at a rate of 125-250 words per minute, but think at a rate of 1,000-3,000 words per minute. The net result is that 75 percent of the time we are not really listening to others – we’re distracted and preoccupied with our own thoughts and formulating what we’ll say next in response.

I’m trying to do more listening in my business life, not rushing past what a client is saying to formulate some brilliant response. This is difficult to do, because my early business training was laser-focused on the fast decision, the quick articulation of the next action step.

But when I slow down and honor what others are saying and feeling, the conversation shifts. It becomes richer. And I see my work as my own kind of ministry in the world – helping to solve a business problem here, being a sounding board for a concern there.

Listening is a practice.

-Mary Lilja