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
>
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Nadia Nasr, Digitization Specialist
McCain Library (601)266-6493
University of Southern Mississippi
Box 5148
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5148
=========================================================
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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).
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