In my opinion, this string of thought has gone on way to long and really
serves little purpose save filling our mailbox. Did I misspell anything?


Brian W. Bray
Director of Education
Texarkana Museums System
[log in to unmask]
903-793-4831 (w)
903-793-7108 (fax)
----- Original Message -----
From: Nadia Nasr <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, June 17, 2002 8:46 AM
Subject: Re: museum education mia culpa


> I would like to recommend sending spelling corrections to the individual
> who sent the e-mail, off list, and allowing that person then to make the
> decision to send an e-mail to the list pronouncing those corrections.  I
> understand the argument for public admonishment, but I also understand the
> frustration and embarrassment of having your errors pointed out in front
of
> the entire "public audience" of the list when you are trying to pass on
> helpful information.
>
> It's a suggestion.
>
> Nadia
>
>
> At 02:17 AM 6/17/02 -0400, you wrote:
> >Indigo, I dunno (not an acceptable spelling!), I guess I think not
forgiving
> >when one asks to be forgiven for a correction is more rude than having
the
> >temerity to make the correction.  But maybe that's just me.  It seems to
me
> >that scolding someone for the kind of messages they send is more of a
public
> >admonishment than merely pointing out an error.  Notice that I called it
> >scolding, which I think is a fair characterization, and I'm not trying to
> >exaggerate the tenor of your complaint.  But I disagree that corrections
are
> >necessarily rude.
> >
> >I knew I was risking flames when I provided two "corrections" within such
a
> >short span of time, and when I saw a message from you, I guessed what it
was
> >going to say.  I thought long and hard before sending the mia/mea
message.
> >But I was sincerely trying to be helpful, because these weren't
> >run-of-the-mill spelling mistakes.  Long ago I stopped pointing out
ordinary
> >spelling errors and incorrect word choice (except when it created
confusion),
> >with one lapse ("Here! Here" for "Hear! Hear!"), which I admit may have
been
> >overdoing it.
> >
> >I've received corrections on email lists when I've made factual errors,
> >miscellaneous gaffes, mistakes in dates, etc., and spelling
inconsistencies
> >(I've made my share), and I believe I've been appreciative of the
information
> >and accepted the corrections with grace.  I don't consider them public
> >"admonishment."  If I make a public mistake, I expect public correction.
One
> >thing I won't do is attack someone for making a correction or say it's
petty
> >and rude to do so or taking up valuable space and time on the list, and
I'll
> >defend anyone who gets flamed for a tactful correction.  I've been known
to
> >ask whether a topic is appropriate for the list, and I've joined in the
> >discussion after someone got scolded for a supposedly inappropriate
comment;
> >but I don't think I've ever done any scolding per se--except for people
> >ridiculing others.  Some may recall a previous flap about Latin when a
> >correction (not originally made by me) for a translation was ridiculed as
> >petty.
> >
> >Last year in a lecture I misidentified the subject of a slide, and a
member
> >of  the audience corrected me privately (with a smirk).  My reaction was,
"I
> >wish you had said that when everyone was still here", so that all could
have
> >had the benefit of the correction.  And I'd have had the opportunity to
agree
> >with the correction: some who knew I was wrong, but didn't speak up,
probably
> >thought I was addled.
> >
> >I don't worry about typos--I maek plnety msyefl (and people have
gleefully
> >pointed them out, which doesn't bother me--I consider that normal give
and
> >take).  But "Yates" and "mia" clearly weren't typos.  I agree that it's
petty
> >to give too many spelling corrections and I try to stifle the urge.
However,
> >you gave a quote and an attribution, and since people like to re-quote
pithy
> >sayings, I think it's useful to get it right rather than perpetuate a
> >mistake.  For all I knew, your source might have misspelled Yeats and it
> >wasn't your error at all.  Of course the error is understandable, and
> >everyone makes mistakes--no need to be sensitive about it.  Never having
> >heard Yeats's name pronounced, I used to say "YEETS" instead of
pronouncing
> >it "Yates."  I still recall with gratitude the person who corrected me.
> >
> >The point of correcting "mia culpa" is similar, plus the fact that Latin
> >quotations usually connote erudition, which ups the ante, so I try to get
> >them right and usually look them up to be sure.  Again, some source might
> >have made the original error, not our colleague.  Since "mia" is a proper
> >Italian word, confusion is understandable.  I appreciated the message
from
> >William Maurer about taking greater care with e-mail messages, but I wish
to
> >point out that a spell-checker probably wouldn't have helped in these
> >instances.
> >
> >I think the appropriate response to a correction is "thank you."  Indigo,
> >thanks for your advice, but I hope you see my point.  No public
admonishment
> >was intended, just getting the name and the Latin phrase right.
> >
> >David Haberstich
> >
> >=========================================================
> >Important Subscriber Information:
> >
> >The Museum-L FAQ file is located at
> >http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed
> >information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail
> >message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should
> >read "help" (without the quotes).
> >
> >If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to
> >[log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read
> >"Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
>
> Nadia Nasr, Digitization Specialist
> McCain Library (601)266-6493
> University of Southern Mississippi
> Box 5148
> Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5148
>
> =========================================================
> Important Subscriber Information:
>
> The Museum-L FAQ file is located at
http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed
information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message
to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help"
(without the quotes).
>
> If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to
[log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff
Museum-L" (without the quotes).

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).