Good morning, and happy Tuesday. We have covered the who vs. whom dilemma several times over the years, but it’s been a while, and Jan W. asked for a refresher. Jan gets what she wants. 😊

One reason we have so much trouble knowing when to use whom is because we rarely hear or see it. Most people just opt for who no matter what. And since we don’t often see or hear whom used correctly, we’re not sure when to use it. I’m telling you that so that you’ll understand that if this is a hard rule for you to figure out or remember, you are not alone. This one trips up many people.

The good news is that there is a trick that will usually help you determine when to use who and when to use whom: the they/them trick.

• they = who
• them = whom

You can remember that them stands in for whom, because them and whom sound similar.

This is how the trick works: when you’re faced with a sentence that includes who or whom, but you don’t know which one, put the sentence in question form to determine whether they or them makes more sense. If they makes more sense, use who (they = who). If them makes more sense, use whom (them = whom). Here are some examples:

• I’d like to know who/whom wrote the email.

Question: Who/whom wrote the email?

Answer: They wrote the email.

The correct choice is who (they = who).

I’d like to know who wrote the email.

• She is wondering who/whom to vote for.

Question: Who/whom should she vote for?

Answer: She should vote for them.

The correct answer is whom (them = whom).

She is wondering whom to vote for.

I hope that helps. If you want to test yourself, click this link and scroll down to take a quiz from GrammarBook.com. Enjoy the rest of your day.

Donna Bradley Burcher | Senior Technical Editor | Symitar®

8985 Balboa Ave. | San Diego, CA 92123 | Ph. 619.278.0432 | Ext: 765432

About Editor’s Corner

Editor’s Corner keeps your communication skills sharp by providing information on grammar, punctuation, JHA style, and all things English. As editors, we spend our days reading, researching, and revising other people’s writing. We love to spend a few extra minutes to share what we learn with you and keep it fun while we’re doing it.

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Good morning! I’ve annoyed you with quizzes in the past, but I don’t think I’ve ever provided a punctuation quiz, so today is your lucky day. This quiz comes from Daily Writing Tips. Your job is to correct the punctuation in the following five sentences. You might need to add punctuation, or you might need to correct punctuation. You have to figure it out.

At some point in the history of Editor’s Corner, we have covered all the rules you need to know to ace this quiz. I know you’re up to the challenge!

I’ve included the answers and explanations, but you’ll have to scroll down to see them. Best of luck to you!

The following sentences contain errors of punctuation. Revise them as necessary.

1. That’s my dream car in the window I plan to buy it as soon as I have enough money.

2. The boss is really old. He still addresses women clients as Mrs So-and-So.

3. I never expected to see so many glacier’s and pit’s on our trip.

4. Before we get to Phoenix let’s stop at an IHOP for breakfast.

5. All the “hardback books” are the same price.

Answers and Explanations

1.
Original: That’s my dream car in the window I plan to buy it as soon as I have enough money.
Correct: That’s my dream car in the window. I plan to buy it as soon as I have enough money.

Error: run-on sentence. The new thought begins with “I.” Another way to correct it would be to put a semi-colon instead of a period between “window” and “I.”

2.
Original: The boss is really old. He still addresses women clients as Mrs So-and-So.
Correct: The boss is really old. He still addresses women clients as Mrs. So-and-So.

U.S. punctuation convention places a period after “Mrs.” and “Ms.”

3.
Original: I never expected to see so many glacier’s and pit’s on our trip.
Correct: I never expected to see so many glaciers and pits on our trip.

No apostrophes are needed; glaciers and pits are simply plural nouns.

4.
Original: Before we get to Phoenix let’s stop at an IHOP for breakfast.
Correct: Before we get to Phoenix, let’s stop at an IHOP for breakfast.

A subordinate clause that begins a sentence is set off with a comma. [dbb – I wrote a post on this topic; it’s called
Commas with Introductory Phrases.]

5.
Original: All the “hardback books” are the same price.
Correct: All the hardback books are the same price.

Using quotations marks for emphasis is an error.

Donna Bradley Burcher | Senior Technical Editor | Symitar®

8985 Balboa Ave. | San Diego, CA 92123 | Ph. 619.278.0432 | Ext: 765432

About Editor’s Corner

Editor’s Corner keeps your communication skills sharp by providing information on grammar, punctuation, JHA style, and all things English. As editors, we spend our days reading, researching, and revising other people’s writing. We love to spend a few extra minutes to share what we learn with you and keep it fun while we’re doing it.

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Our friend Sandy B. recently asked if we would look into the reason why some common words are spelled differently in American English than they are in British English—words like color/colour, center/centre, realize/realise, defense/defence, etc.

I remember reading about this topic before, so I had a general idea, but I put on my research goggles and dove right in to the internet. Dictionary.com has a great article about this, and so does a site called Live Science.

Here’s the gist: in the 15th–18th centuries (the early years of the printing press in Great Britain and the United States), spelling was kind of a free-for-all. People just spelled a word however they thought it should be spelled, which led to great variation, and sometimes, a bit of confusion.

Toward the end of 18th century, however, two people were starting to set the standards for British and American spelling. In Britain, in 1755, Samuel Johnson, an English writer, published the Dictionary of the English Language. According to the Dictionary.com article, he “made calculated decisions about which spelling variations to use. At the time, French-derived spellings such as honour and theatre were in vogue in England.”

Here in the United States, a few years later, Noah Webster was helping to define American spelling in his books American Spelling Book (1783) and the influential American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Webster wanted to simplify the English language to make it easier to learn, and he wanted to differentiate it from British English. So, he opted for shorter, more phonetic spellings (program instead of programme, for instance). In fact, he wanted to go further than he did, and he promoted spellings like masheen instead of machine, and laf instead of laugh. Obviously, that didn’t work out too well for him.

But we do have Webster to thank (or blame, depending on your outlook) for making American English look different from British English.

Cheerio. Enjoy your day!

Donna Bradley Burcher | Senior Technical Editor | Symitar®

8985 Balboa Ave. | San Diego, CA 92123 | Ph. 619.278.0432 | Ext: 765432

About Editor’s Corner

Editor’s Corner keeps your communication skills sharp by providing information on grammar, punctuation, JHA style, and all things English. As editors, we spend our days reading, researching, and revising other people’s writing. We love to spend a few extra minutes to share what we learn with you and keep it fun while we’re doing it.

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The words amount and number can be used as nouns or verbs. Today, we’re going to discuss how to use them appropriately when they are nouns and refer to “the quantity of something.” Let’s roll.

You should use the word amount for things you cannot count individually (like damage, salt, or interest). We call these mass nouns. Some examples will help. Look at how amount is used in these sentences:

• It is hard to know the amount of damage the injury has done to his shoulder.
• What’s the correct amount of salt for this recipe?
• The amount of interest due each period depends on the loan balance and the number of days in the period.

That last example is a two-for-one: it uses both amount and number. You cannot count the interest individually, but you can count the days.

On the other hand, you should use number for things you can count individually (like dogs, friends, and questions). We call these count nouns. Look at how number is used in these sentences:

• When you go to the park, count the number of dogs Tinker plays with.
• Tim is always trying to increase the number of friends he has on Facebook®.
• Could you believe the number of questions Jenna asked during the meeting?

The most common mistake people make is to use amount when they should use number. Here are some real-life examples of sentences that incorrectly use amount:

• Episys offers an unlimited amount of Tracking records per member account.

• There are no limits to the amount of checking accounts one member can have.

If those two sentences sound wrong to you, now you know why. Do you want to test your skills? Take this test from the English Test Store website. Enjoy your day!

Donna Bradley Burcher | Senior Technical Editor | Symitar®

8985 Balboa Ave. | San Diego, CA 92123 | Ph. 619.278.0432 | Ext: 765432

About Editor’s Corner

Editor’s Corner keeps your communication skills sharp by providing information on grammar, punctuation, JHA style, and all things English. As editors, we spend our days reading, researching, and revising other people’s writing. We love to spend a few extra minutes to share what we learn with you and keep it fun while we’re doing it.

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Hello readers! Today I have some interesting information for you on two literary devices from The Grammarist: bathos and pathos. But first I must say, you have no idea what I suffer through during my research for you. The Grammarist has the most disgusting “click bait” on their website. Sometimes I can hardly make it through the material because of the toe fungus remedies and the bladder control issues that the people on the medication Metformin supposedly have. Why people, why?

Okay. I will suffer through it to bring you new, and hopefully interesting, tidbits about our language. From the people who are supported by ads of guys putting twigs in their ears to cure tinnitus, The Grammarist:

Bathos isa noun and a literary term that describes a situation in which a serious, emotional and heartfelt story full of genuine insight and emotion suddenly sinks to contemplate something trivial or everyday. Bathos is an anticlimax, it is banality. If the writer intends to stir deep thought and emotions in the reader, bathos will sabotage that intention. It is an anticlimax to an idea full of sentiment and meaning. Synonyms of the word bathos that may be found in a thesaurus are anticlimax, letdown, mawkishness. Bathos is usually a transgression performed by poor writers, though bathos may be used by comedy writers to great effect. Consider the Groucho Marx quote: “I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn’t it.” The word bathos was coined by Alexander Pope in 1728 in his essay, Peri Bathous, from the Greek word bathos, which means depth.

Pathos is a noun and a literary term that means to invoke deep or sentimental emotions or feelings in the reader, especially empathy, pity, sympathy, sorrow and longing. Pathos is used in fiction to inspire a depth of sentiment in the reader, but it is also used in persuasive arguments to appeal to the listener in a fundamental way. Synonyms of the word pathos that may be found in a thesaurus are poignancy, sentiment, tenderness. Aristotle described the use of pathos to persuade the listener in an argument of logic. The word pathos has been in use in the English language since the mid-1600s, derived from the Greek word pathos, which means feeling, emotion, calamity.

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

Symitar Documentation Services

Recently, I reviewed different ways to greet people in email and business letters. Today, I have a list of different ways to close your correspondence. In honor of JHA’s third consecutive year on America’s Best Employers List by Forbes, I’m honoring Forbes by sharing a portion of their article called 57 Ways To Sign Off On An Email with you. (Click the link for the entire article; I cut out some closings that were weird, grammatically awkward, or just inappropriate.)

• Best – This is the most ubiquitous; it’s totally safe. I recommend it highly and so do the experts.
• My Best – A little stilted.
• All the best – This works too.
• Bests – I know people who like this but I find it fussy. Why do you need the extra “s?” [KC – Okay, this is horrible! It’s so horrible I left it in here to share with you.]
• Best regards – More formal than the ubiquitous “Best.” I use this when I want a note of formality.
• Regards – Fine, anodyne, helpfully brief. I use this.
• Warm regards – I like this for a personal email to someone you don’t know very well, or a business email that is meant as a thank-you.
• Thanks – Cynthia Lett, a business etiquette consultant, says this is a no-no. “This is not a closing. It’s a thank-you,” she insists. I disagree. Forbes Leadership editor Fred Allen uses it regularly and I think it’s an appropriate, warm thing to say. I use it too.
• Thanks so much – I also like this and use it, especially when someone—a colleague, a source, someone with whom I have a business relationship—has put time and effort into a task or email.
• Thank you – More formal than “Thanks.” I use this sometimes.
• Many thanks – I use this a lot, when I genuinely appreciate the effort the recipient has undertaken.
• Thanks for your consideration – A tad stilted with a note of servility, this can work in the business context, though it’s almost asking for a rejection. Steer clear of this when writing a note related to seeking employment.
• Thx – I predict this will gain in popularity as our emails become more like texts. Lett would not approve. [KC – Kara would not approve either. Spell it out, folks. And certainly don’t abbreviate with a letter that’s not even in the original word.]
• Hope this helps – I like this in an email where you are trying to help the recipient.
• Rushing – This works when you really are rushing. It expresses humility and regard for the recipient. [KC – I wouldn’t recommend this. Even if you are rushing, you don’t want people to think you are not taking your time with them.]
• Sincerely – Lett also likes this but to me, it signals that the writer is stuck in the past. Maybe OK for some formal business correspondence, like from the lawyer handling your dead mother’s estate.
• XOXO – I’ve heard of this being used in business emails but I don’t think it’s a good idea. [KC – Uh, yeah, I definitely wouldn’t use this…unless it’s for Dave Foss.
  J]

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

Symitar Documentation Services

Hello, my fellow language lovers!

Today we’re going to talk about greetings and salutations in email and other places. Yes, we’ve discussed them before, but of all the requests I received recently, this was the topic asked about most.

Let’s look at the punctuation. According the Chicago Manual of Style:

In correspondence, a comma typically follows the greeting, though a colon may be used instead (especially in formal correspondence).

• Dear Kara, . . .
• Hello, Kara, . . .
• To Ms. Diedre Star:
• Dear Kara:

If the greeting itself consists of a direct address, two marks of punctuation are needed (i.e., the comma in the direct address and the colon or comma following the greeting). [KC – From Grammar Girl, you can also use a period after the person’s name if you are ending the sentence there, or an exclamation point if you are really excited.]

• Greetings, Board Members:
• Hello, Margo, I’ll see you soon!

• Good morning, Batman, I just wanted you to know that I told Alfred he could have the day off.
• Hi, Bob.
• Hello, everybody!

The first mark is often left out in casual correspondence.

• Hi Todd,
• Hello Marguerite,

I hope I’ve answered your questions. Next up: signing off when you send an email or business correspondence.

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

Symitar Documentation Services

Recently, I watched Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. The main topic for most of the audience was Mount Everest, but the main topic for me was a new word he introduced when talking about Sherpas, a Tibetan people, and sherpas (lowercase “s”) the people that help mountain climbers on their treks up the mountain. Oliver said Sherpa was a capitonym: a word that changes its meaning when capitalized.

Here are some other capitonyms I found. For a more complete list, click here.

Courtesy of John Oliver’s Everest Photo Page

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

Symitar Documentation Services

As promised, here is the meat from the Fast Company article on the importance of writing well:“This skill makes you more employable, no matter the role.”

HERE ARE SEVEN TIPS FOR BECOMING A BETTER WRITER:

1. Read a lot, ideally from as early an age as possible. In my experience, the best way to become a great writer is to read. A lot. Reading expands your vocabulary, solidifies your grammar, enables you to draw inspiration from great writers, and more. So read before bed. Read on your commute if you take public transportation. Read whenever you have time, all the time.

2. Review everything you write. I’m not perfect, but I review everything, including emails. This helps ensure my writing is free of mistakes. Take the extra few seconds to give your writing one more read. It’s worth it! [KC–And take advantage of your company’s editors: it is our job to make you look good.]

3. Use as few words as possible to communicate your meaning. Less is almost always more. Nobody wants to read a 200-word message that could have easily been 50.

4. If there’s a simpler word, use it. Good communication is about getting your point across in the easiest way possible for the reader to digest it. Quite simply, simple words work best. There’s no need to say you “disseminated” information when you sent it.

5. Make sure your points are parallel. Now we’re getting into the weeds a bit, but I certainly notice this one. Failing to use a parallel structure can degrade otherwise good writing. For example, if five of the six qualifications on your resume begin with verbs but one doesn’t, that single outlier will feel “off” and make you look less qualified.

6. Use anecdotes and examples wherever you can. A story is worth 1,000 words. Adding one whenever possible helps you connect with the reader so they remember your message.

7. When it matters, have someone edit your work. We all miss mistakes in our own writing. At NakedPoppy, the clean beauty startup I co-founded, we have our resident grammarian comb through every single social media and blog post before it goes live. [KC–Oh look, more about editing! I didn’t found a startup, and I’m not a naked rose or poppy, but my team and I sure love editing, so don’t be shy. If a client is going to see
what you’re writing, it matters. Run it by us first.]

Writing is an outlet for your intelligence to shine through. That’s why, regardless of your field, improving as a writer will help you succeed.

It’s never too late to learn what makes great writing. If your writing chops need work, here’s my advice: pick up a copy of The Elements of Style or Revising Prose and take a workshop or an online class.

But remember that nothing is more important than reading often. When you read great books and articles, you’re learning at the feet of the masters.

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

619-542-6773 | Ext: 766773

Symitar Documentation Services

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Good morning, everyone! The other day, my fearless leader, Jill, sent me this article to read from Fast Company. I thought it was too good not to share, so today you get a preview—the reason behind the article. On Thursday, I’ll send you a link and the “meat” of the topic. Enjoy!

“This skill makes you more employable, no matter the role” by Jaleh Bisharat

I’ve found that one of the most interesting predictors of success is being a good writer—even if the job itself doesn’t require much writing. For this reason, I emphasize hiring good writers and encourage team members to prioritize writing skills. Almost every time I’ve broken the “hire good writers” rule, I’ve regretted it.

For the past 25 years, I’ve asked for a writing sample from job candidates. I don’t request they create something new (because I think it’s important that job candidates not have to complete anything resembling “free work”). Any piece of writing is useful, as long as you wrote it entirely yourself.

Why care so much about this?

BECAUSE EVERY COMPANY BENEFITS FROM GOOD WRITING—BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY.

Here are three reasons why being a good writer is important, and why writing is a skill worth focusing on, no matter your job description:

1. Good writing correlates with crisp thinking. Writing provides excellent insight into the way someone’s mind works. Good writers have well-structured thoughts and an orderly outlook. Who doesn’t want great thinkers on their team?

2. Clear, persuasive communication is the underpinning of a successful professional. Other skills matter a great deal, of course, but you’ll go further if you can express yourself well in writing. Whether you’re communicating with partners, customers, or coworkers, the way you write influences how people view both you and your company. Clear communication builds confidence and creates more productive relationships.

3. If you’re a good writer, there will always be work for you to do. And if you’re not a good writer, there will sometimes be more work for your boss to do, because if they care about how you or the company is coming across, they’ll have to fix your written work.

And remember, here at JHA we think this is so important that we have free editing services at your disposal. If you have client-facing documentation that is Symitar-related (credit unions), check out the services we offer on the Symitar Editing page. If you have JHA-related (banking) content, have a look at the JHA Editing Services site.

Now that you know good writing is important, I will share the seven tips to help you improve…on Thursday!

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

Symitar Documentation Services