Should Grammar a Problem?
In the article titled, “I Won’t Hire People Who Use Poor Grammar. Here’s Why,” the author Kyle Wiens discusses the importance of understanding proper grammar when it comes to applying for jobs, especially for Wiens. He talks about how he makes all of his employees take a grammar test before even looking at their application. Though I agree grammar is a very important skill to know when applying for a job of any position and it can make you seem very smart, it is not everything. Depending on the job description, I do not feel as though everyone applying for the job should have to take that test since there are other factors that go into a great worker, such as performance, intelligence, and dedication. The application should at least be looked at and evaluated first and then the results of the grammar test should be weighed into the decision after. The belief of throwing the entire application away after doing poorly on the test is something that I do not agree with since everyone brings different strengths to a job and just because someone is better at grammar than the other does not mean that they are both not equally worthy for being considered for the same job. At the end of the day, it does all come down to the job description. If knowing proper grammar is essential for the job I can understand having applicants take the test beforehand but if not, I truly believe that applicants should not be judged on their knowledge of grammar before any of their other skills. Every individual is different and every individual can bring different assets to a company.
Writing in Your Own “Language”
In the article titled, “African American Language is Good Language” the author Zachary Martin makes a good point when discussing that writers should write the way they would normally speak. Society has been trying to teach us to speak “properly” in our writing but how is a reader supposed to know who their author is if they aren’t speaking like themselves? In this case, African American English is important to use in writing and even when speaking so readers and listeners can understand who the author/ person is as an individual. Martin also brought up a great point when he discussed how using big, fancy words that not a lot of people can understand may make readers feel too “dumb” and they won’t want to finish the piece. It can be intimidating/ overwhelming for a reader to read, causing them to lose interest in what they are reading and give up. This goes hand in hand with the concept of writing to a specific audience and knowing who your audience is. Authors should always keep their audiences in mind and understand what their specific audience may like in their writing. You never want to write in a way that could make it difficult or confusing for the readers to understand. This is why writing to your audience and in a way you would normally speak/ write will keep your readers engaged and interested in what exactly you have to say.
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