What are some common errors in writing or speaking that irk you? Some folks can’t stand “irregardless.” Others grind their teeth when “I” or “myself” is incorrectly substituted for “me.” And “very unique” has its legion of groaners.
Other language imperfections, however, distract only the most persnickety grammarians among us. So if you’re feeling up to the challenge, see if you can identify the minor missteps that would draw an objection only from the grammar grouches.
1. Because she is responsible for effecting the customer service changes, Wanda will now give you the parameters.
2. Hopefully, you’ll find this report compelling, even though Wayne became disinterested halfway through.
3. Wilma knew she’d be all right once she found a safe haven away from the storm.
The hairsplitters
1. Because she is responsible for effecting the customer service changes, Wanda will now give you the parameters. Two decoys: Starting a sentence with “Because” is fine (and often quite useful). And there is a verb “effect,” which means to cause to happen or to put into practice.
The questionable word is “parameters.” Language purists and mathematicians don’t love the trendy “parameters” because they say it has a technical meaning. (In fact, as I understand it, parameters relate to variables, when we really want to say the opposite. We’re looking to Wanda to give precise instructions.) So we can avoid getting anyone grumpy by using words like “guidelines” or “specifications.”
2. Hopefully, you’ll find this report compelling, even though Wayne became disinterested halfway through. The decoy was ending the sentence with the preposition “through.” Ending with a preposition is fine unless it makes a sentence sound awkward, in which case taking the time to revise might be worthwhile.
The hairsplitters are “Hopefully” and “disinterested.” Some object to “Hopefully” at the start of a sentence by asking just who is doing the hoping? So beginning with “I hope” or “We hope” is clearer. (“Hopefully” is a terrific word, however, when something is said or done with hope: “The weather should clear by the weekend,” she said hopefully.)
As for “disinterested,” it is widely used as a synonym of “uninterested,” but the primary meaning is “objective.” In other words, if you’re disinterested, you don’t have a bias. Sticking with “uninterested” to mean lack of interest will make everyone happy.
3. Wilma knew she’d be all right once she found a safe haven away from the storm. The decoy was “all right.” It’s correct. In fact, “alright” is nonstandard.
The change that will please purists is striking “safe” in “safe haven.” A haven is a safe place, so the commonly used phrase is redundant.
In addition to presenting workshops on writing in the workplace, Norm is a writer, editor, and writing coach. His 100+ Instant Writing Tips is a brief “non-textbook” to help individuals overcome common writing errors and write with more finesse and impact. Learn more at http://www.normfriedman.com/index.shtml.