Wiens’ Perspective
Kyle Wiens’ article “I Won’t Hire People Who Use Poor Grammar. Here’s Why” was eye-captivating. I certainly believe that grammar is important, but to Wiens’ extent, I fear it is a bit extreme. Wiens has a no-tolerance attitude to basic grammatical errors in the professional world because he believes sloppy writing translates to sloppy performance. If you cannot understand the basics of grammar and feel that they are unimportant, then you will not be a fit for Wiens’ companies, no matter how qualified your resume may be. I agree with most of his points that grammar is beneficial, and it exhibits a sense of professionalism and clarity, but to note an individual as unqualified because of a misuse of commas is insane. Wiens states, “Everyone who applies for a position at either of my companies, iFixit or Dozuki, takes a mandatory grammar test. Extenuating circumstances aside (dyslexia, English language learners, etc.), if job hopefuls can’t distinguish between “to” and “too,” their applications go into the bin.” That sentence is comical because, oddly enough, it makes sense, and he has every right to feel that way because these small errors should and can be avoidable. He summarizes that in his worksites, they write for a living, so it is imperative to know these basic differences. However, this concept should not apply to all positions– “We give our grammar test to everybody, including our salespeople, our operations staff, and our programmers.” I do not think these listed job titles should have to take a grammar test because they are not writing constantly.
Extremity
Grammar is tricky. What else is there to say? I have made grammatical mistakes, and I am positive you have made them, but it is part of writing. To throw someone’s application in the bin because they incorrectly do not know the difference between there, their, and they’re is extreme. I should note this is for those applying for positions that do not have to write day in and day out. Unfortunately, Writers here will have to deal with Wiens’ harsh judgment because I think it is reasonable– but just for this example–I recall a funny mistake I made writing a blog when I think of judging writing too harshly because mistakes happen– Before changes, the sentence read: “If you wish to trap the mice with numerous ideas running around your head that are distracting you from pouring your heart into that awful first draft, then be my guess. If you wish to sit for hours on end to conclude three sentences, again, be my guess.” If you can spot it, nice job– If not, I said ‘guess’ instead of ‘guest.’ It is great that I am a Business major and do not specialize in writing, so I am off the hook. No, seriously, these minor mistakes happen, and it is fine. I know the difference between the words. I revised my work, but perhaps my brain was not clicking and missed that. So, even if someone specializes in writing and makes a mistake, they should still be taken seriously as a candidate. There are times I have read, and the author misses a comma after a dependent clause– What should I do then? Take their credentials and throw them in the trash? My poor eyes were not worthy of noticing such a crime. Now, if it is constant, then we have an issue, and I could agree with Wiens’ judgment.
Obscure Grammar Test
Seemingly, I have gone back and forth between both sides of the argument, but it is for a valid reason. Wiens’ company provides a grammar test for all applicants (specialized in writing or not), but he does not indicate if there is a certain percentage they must meet. How many total questions? These details are beneficial in helping me pick a side, really– if an applicant needs a 70% to pass a test and cannot do so for basic grammar rules, then maybe they are not truly qualified, as Wiens asserts. However, if they crush the requirements and score 90% but cannot differentiate between ‘to’ and ‘too’ on one question, how does that work? Is the resume thrown in the bin more politely? Do they have to do another test? One mistake, and you are out? (THEIR) are many questions I think individuals could conclude from this article. It is a strange test, and Wiens’ vagueness and lack of clarity do not help his case. Maybe writers can throw away this article because of that. Indeed, I do think grammar and punctuation are important, whether it is for school or the workplace. However, despite being a “stickler” for these things, it is not right to be as harsh as Wiens. That is just overkill.
African American Vernacular English
I think African American Vernacular English is completely fine, but I do not think it will be accepted in classrooms or professional settings. If you notice my section above about Wiens, who is a stickler for grammar– this is how I feel most classroom environments operate. I cannot say much for the professional world, but I have a hunch that a majority operate in this manner. So, there is a small to no chance they will be willing to be open-minded to learning and incorporating AAVE in their works. Zachary Martin, in his article, “African American Language is Good English,” does an excellent job illustrating the positives that many people do not mention regarding AAVE.
Diction
Furthermore, I also enjoyed reading Martin’s usage of turning his article from traditional “English” to AAVE in his article to help support his claim that AAVE is good English. I was able to follow the article easily, but that may also be because I am African-American or that it is not difficult. I believe it is the latter because there is nothing difficult about the text. Martin asserts, “AAVE has rules just like standard English, its not just a whole buncha random words thrown onto a page. Furthering this point, it is gradeable as well…” Typically, the argument against AAVE is that it has no rules, and it just makes no sense because the words are essentially slang. However, this is honestly a stereotype implemented in the language. The stereotype is enforced by those who are uneducated in AAVE, so perhaps schools should offer classes teaching African-American Literature. If ya’ catch my drift, it ain’ too crazy of a concept!
Experience With AAVE
I think it was in 2020 or 2021, one of those quarantine lockdown years, that I learned what AAVE was from scrolling through TikTok. Debates were going on about the Black Lives Matter movement, and I recall a woman on my “for you page” (fyp) discussing that America was trying to erase African-American Language. I was speaking in AAVE with my friends, but I never knew what it was/or if it had an actual name. I just knew it was an informal, slang language. However, that 45-second video educated me on the language, and I am proud of how I speak, whether viewed as “thuggish” or not.
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