Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/04/14
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Allan Jay Silver wrote, >Criticizing someone's misspelled words is a puerile attempt at massaging >one's ego Well all I can say to that is 'have a potatoe'. >The message being conveyed is all important. Well of course - and hence the importance of expressing yourself clearly and using a common language rather than aggressive 'psychoanalytical' interpretations. :) What you say and how you say it are clearly linked - the message is not the message if it is not received as it was intended to be received. There are good reasons why a lot of people do not spell even common words (like 'English') correctly but the main ones are lack of education and/or ignorance, followed by carelessness: the latter is bad and potentially dangerous. Where criticism is well meant these failings can be dealt with. Sharp attacks on others whether it is for misspelling or for criticizing misspelling or whatever can only create friction and resentment. I for one think it is rather careless and offensive if someone misspells someone else's name when referring to them or worse, replying to them on a list like this: it shows a lack of consideration and sloppiness. Poor Erwin Puts has been renamed so many times it must be quite frustrating for him, a lover of precision. Likewise those who reply to list contributions without identifying either the issue or the person they are addressing are letting their enthusiasm and desire to convey their message actually prevent that from happening. Many forget that contributing to such lists is a form of publishing and we might one day live to regret some slip of the keyboard... As for Dan Quayle - misspelling his name on the quotation seems to me a rather arcane joke, gilding the lily one might say. And to get back on topic, I had the bizarre privilege of photographing Danforth Quayle esq. on his visit to a toilet factory in Shanghai last year and used my battle scarred black enamel M4/35 Summicron/TriX for this awesome task. Among his many other achievements you see Mr Quayle is on the board of American Standard and is a keen promoter of American lavatorial values here in the Middle Kingdom. Worthy indeed. Back to the darkroom... Bests Adrian Adrian Bradshaw Editorial and Corporate Photography Shanghai, China