As the year winds down, now is the perfect time to express gratitude. A heartfelt thank-you email can leave a lasting impression, whether it is directed to clients, coworkers, or friends. Gratitude strengthens relationships and reflects your authenticity and thoughtfulness. If you have the time and ability, writing a handwritten note will have the greatest […]
Gratitude emails build relationships Read More »
In 1946, author George Orwell wrote a powerful essay titled “Politics and the English Language.” In it, he analyzed the flaws of political writing as it is translated into the larger culture. He warns that the decadence, or gradual breakdown, of the language connects to a breakdown in the values and norms of the culture.
George Orwell’s Call to Action Read More »
Some word pairs flummox even the most literate writers. We use a word to say one thing, but its opposite form seems not to exist. Or does it? In some pairs, apparent opposites have the same meaning. English is a mongrel language with a motley history, which means that our words don’t always make sense.
Are You Gruntled that Irregardless is a Word? Read More »
“If you don’t think punctuation matters, try forgetting the comma in, I’m sorry, I love you.” A colleague recently bemoaned the tendency among some business writers to send emails without punctuating them. She had received an email that said, “order misdelivered sent to wrong branch but we fixed it” How hard would it have been,
Become a Punctuation powerhouse Read More »
Someone recently wrote to me, “Your welcome to join us at the dinner reception.” While I appreciated the dinner invitation, the writer undermined herself by making the basic mistake of writing your instead of you’re. She meant to say, “You are welcome to join us,” but that’s not what she wrote.
Am I being a curmudgeon to mention this? Perhaps. But if I’m a grouch, I’m not alone. For millions of readers, these mistakes matter. When you are building your personal and business brand, can you afford to assume that your readers don’t care about precision in language?
Don’t embarrass yourself: Use the Right Words Read More »
