Lazy language is everywhere.
It’s difficult to get through even one day’s reading without struggling to make sense of a tangled mess of woolly words – a real dog’s blanket of poor grammar and incorrect language use.
Most people know how important it is to send out quality communications.
For the majority, though, writing is not their primary function at work and, whether because of lack of time or lack of training, they make mistakes.
There’s nothing shameful about that. Writing is not what they are paid to do.
A few set aside some time specifically to develop their writing skills. Some hire professionals to edit and polish or proofread their work. That way they can spend more time on what they do best – the jobs that pay their salaries. Many just struggle on and hope nobody notices.
My problem is with those who are supposed to be professionals – paid writers who either can’t or don’t do their jobs properly.
Every day, their lazy language strolls through the holes in their knowledge and idly saunters on, unnoticed by their editors.
I’m building quite a collection of examples of Lazy Language. They can be hilarious, but the main purpose is to explain why the language use is clumsy, or just plain wrong, and what the writers should have said instead.
Follow these links to find out ways to avoid lazy language:
Pivot? Say What You Really Mean
Shooting Clay Pigeons and Men: Oxford Comma
Countable Nouns: A Handy Writing Tip.
