Mid-Missouri Paralegals: Use of the English Language

Use of the English Language

There's currently an ad running on a local radio station that has been done by national celebrities. One of the celebs says the owner of Business A is "prompt and professionable." That drives me crazy every time I hear it (and, yes, I scream at the radio as if he can actually hear me).

Just today, I read a letter written by an attorney to my employer. It says:

"You have expressed medical liens with regard to our clients, [husband] and his wife, [wife: name misspelled], these people have health insurance."

AAARRRGGGHHHH!!! Does no one proofread? Does no one know how the English language works? Is proper grammar a thing of the past? First of all - spell your client's name correctly. Second, this should have been two sentences. Third, what the????? (not to mention the fact that an attorney should know the law that relates to the subject matter.) The letter appears to have been transcribed by his secretary, which brings to mind another question. (Thought: Should you transcribe documents exactly, word for word, with punctuation, as your supervising attorney speaks it? My opinion: I say no. You are the filter through which he speaks. I have always considered it my job to make my supervising attorney look good. That said, I do point out that I corrected an error, so that he knows the change that was made. Do it nicely and be knowledgeable. Your boss will appreciate it.)

The question of "your" versus "you're" was a topic on one of my favorite shows recently, Castle. A murderer wrote a message on the face of his victim, and used the wrong version. It really ate at Castle, and I thought, I'm not the only one that notices that! Ha!

Someone I know frequently uses the word "irregardless." That's not a word. It's regardless. My ex-husband used to refer to people with total hearing loss as "death." Yup, you read that correctly. I'm sure you've talked to people who missuse the language. Stop and think about it for a moment. What is your opinion of that person? Do you think of that as more or less intelligent when you hear a word misused?

I know I pay more attention to the English language than a lot of people do, purely because it's part of who I am: a paralegal who writes in her spare time. In the world of legal documents, every word and every punctuation mark has meaning. You must make sure the words on the page reflect the intended meaning. Preciseness and accuracy are an absolute necessity. And the way you use language is a reflection on you and your employer - take the time to learn the English language, pay attention to grammar, punctuation, spelling. And if you need a refresher, check out these sites:

10 flagrant grammar mistakes that make you look stupid

webgrammar's free tips

And if you're brave, take Grammar Monster's test here.

Feel free to list your own tips (gripes are welcome, too) in the comments.

Lori Robinett