The Governor’s winning streak continues, thanks again to the Herald. Michael Levenson of the Globe reports on the Tabloid of Record’s recent blogathon with Patrick:
“These questions seem so canned,” a chatter calling himself “Sam” complained to the governor at the end of the chat. “…. everything is spelt perfectly and he is always address correctly….this is not how bloggers ask questions…. we don’t conform to punctuation or grammer…”
“Sam, I don’t blog a lot,” the governor wrote. “But I was an English major, so I can’t help but try to get the punctuation and grammar right. Deal with it.”
Sam wasn’t the first reader to broach the subject. Earlier in the chat, another participant, this one with the handle “DemsScrewU_Again,” wrote: “Is this going to be all softball questions and canned answers?”
“Pulleeeze!” the governor wrote. “The answers are coming slowly because I type slowly. Otherwise, I will let the partisan blog name go.”
First, I’d just like the note the awesomeness of a blog post on a newspaper’s blog report about another newspaper’s liveblog with Governor Patrick. With luck, a Herald commenter will link back to this story and complete the Circle of Bloviation (which, typically, is devoted only to style and completely ignores the substance of whatever the Governor had to say). Second, His Excellency has live blogged on BMG as well and it is true: he thinks through his answers, types them carefully, and proofreads them, just like everyone does here. This is exactly what one wants in a Governor. Third, hurray for spelling and grammar. The Internet has produced one of the greatest expansions in written correspondence in history, and we should make the most of it. I’m all for acronyms and emoticons BTW, the challenge is to integrate them into proper grammar, which makes written communication easier to understand and more gracious. đŸ™‚
One of the reasons that I find it challenging to “tweet” is the lack of grammar and proper punctuation. I just wish we could edit comments when a typo or grammatical error gets by.
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p>Kate
Link
It is nutty that some of these people blame the Gov. for the economy when it is Republican deregulation and Republican banksters who are the predators who ripped us all off. Imagine – they even gave themselves 40 Billion (you read that right) in bonuses this year at those Wall Street banks and securities firms.
…to be surprised at how articulate the Governor is?
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p>Yes, I get that this is more of an indictment of the bit of Internet culture that has decided that the rules of spelling and grammar are not important. Still, Gov. Patrick is not the first person ever to a) notice this and b) spell, punctuate and capitalize correctly in an online forum — nor is this the first online chat he’s participated in. Hell, he often writes his own Tweets.
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p>The fact that the Globe, the Herald and Jon Keller all decided that this was the only exchange worth reporting on leaves kind of a bad taste in my mouth.
…when he ALL-CAPPED part of his answer about immigrants. If you can’t get through to people more interested in spewing talking points than listening to reality, sometimes you just got to stand up and SHOUT.
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p>nice
is that I’ll bet that he held the shift key down with one index finger, and typed the all-caps part with his other index finger.
The important part is that what is written is UNDERSTANDABLE. Proper grammer is understandable, so it is not a problem. Comprehensible bad grammer, such as “They ain’t got no money to be fixin no potholes, Jack” is OK, because you can get the message. The real problem is with the inarticulates, who communicate online in a way that cannot be understood and does not articulate clear concepts.
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p>It’s good that Patrick is campaigning on real issues, and giving clear answers, instead of putting on a fake “I’m a dumb-dumb from the back woods” act. Many educated, often wealthy politicians put on this act to get votes from people with no political convictions but great resentments toward what they think of as “Them stuck-up, snooty egghead traitors.”
I’d have to disagree that “the important part is that what is written is UNDERSTANDABLE.” When you are writing to somebody, you are not only trying to make yourself understood. If that were all there was to writing, I’d agree with you.
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p>But there is so much more to writing – and all communication – than mere understandability. In most situations, your ultimate goal is not to make yourself understood, but to get the other party to take you and your message seriously.
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p>If they read what you wrote, understand it, and dismiss it out of hand because you never capitalize, or constantly commit typos or type everything in text-speak, what good have you done yourself or them?
…of the fact the Governor was an English major! Go English majors! See, we can do useful things in society!
Excerpt of an oooooold script from Prairie Home Companion. I listen every Saturday night for a spoof on us Home Economic Majors to no avail. Lynne,what does “to no avail” mean anyway?
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p>Partnership Of English Majors are Proud!!!
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