Posted
on March 8, 2015
When
you talk to me, there are all these cues and clues I use to grasp
your meaning. I listen, not just to your words, but your tone. Are
you being sarcastic or lighthearted, solemn or straightforward? I
listen to which words you group together, which words you emphasize,
and which words you add after a pause, as an afterthought.
If
I can see you as you talk, I notice your expressions, your gestures,
your body language.
We
share a context – we are speaking “in the moment,” and we might
be in the same place at the same time. We share, perhaps, history.
When you mention someone by just a first name, I might know exactly
who you mean – there is only one Heidi that we both know, for
example.
But...
When
you write, a lot of those cues and clues are gone!
There
is a reason that letters and emails and text messages and tweets are
sometimes misunderstood. A serious statement might be taken as
sarcasm, or vice versa. Even uses of emoticons or can go awry – and
is that LOL laughing with me or at me?
When
you write poetry or novels, essays and reports, you might be
expressing your ideas to complete strangers who live in a very
different place and time than you.
That's
one reason that communicating through writing is harder than talking,
and writing well is harder still.
And
it's one reason that proofreading is so important.
Not
only will some people judge you if you use their or there
where you should use they're (and
of course teachers and professors sometimes dock grades for such
mistakes), errors in spelling and punctuation have actually caused
misunderstandings, even fights!
You
probably don't need to proofread every text message to every friend,
but be sure to proofread important stuff, such as ANY message to your
boss or teacher, messages that will be read by lots of people, even
if it just a tweet or Instagram message, assignments and reports that
have real-world consequences, items that will be published or
reproduced or displayed, and creative expressions that you hope to
stand the test of time.
- Here is some advice on how to proofread.
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