Nexus: Chapman's Journal of Law and Public Policy

I originally set out to write this blog about the recent legalization of same-sex marriage in Washington D.C. (Congratulations! Equality comes to the nation’s capital!) and the impact of that decision on the rest of the nation. However, after reading several news articles and comments by users that followed, I became frustrated by the clear failure to construct a proper sentence or communicate an idea effectively, as demonstrated by users on several of the sites.

I enjoy good grammar and spelling. Do I make mistakes? Absolutely, we all do. However, in a world where technology and convenience reign supreme, it seems that standards of acceptable communication have dramatically declined. The January 2010 edition of the ABA Student Lawyer magazine contained an article entitled, “Legal Writing: Annual review of boo-boos in law reviews.” The article pulled several examples of improper grammar from law journals around the country (don’t worry, Chapman wasn’t listed) to illustrate a decline in editing standards. The article meticulously pointed out errors but stated that the legal community has come to view the errors as acceptable. This sparks an interesting observation. With the advent of widespread, convenient technology, American society (and perhaps the global community as well) has become apathetic to grade-school English mechanics.

In elementary school, I remember being taught the differences between their/there/they’re, than/then, and similar hallmarks of the English language. In college, it was repeatedly pounded into my brain that writing is one of the most important skills I will ever use in my career. I’m a fan of accurate punctuation, as a misplaced comma can make a dramatic difference in the meaning of a sentence.

It is a Facebook, cell phone-saturated world, however, and increasing means of informal communication (tweets, texts, status updates, etc.) have gradually let these formalities of language slip by the wayside. While I understand and appreciate that “R” is much easier and convenient to text than “are,” especially when you are only allotted a 160-character text, there have been instances where I feel I need a secret decoder ring to understand the cryptic-code that half of the country uses to communicate. In fact, several websites have been created to help the cyber-speak-impaired cope in a world dominated by the need for an efficient message (for example, “I am on my way to school. I will see you in a minute,” Was translated to: “Im OMW 2 skool. Ill cu in a min.”).

Now, I am not advocating an abandonment of the cyber-language, because I’m sure it has its place. However, more and more students are spending vast quantities of time on the internet and in the cyber-realm, more so than they are in school. My concern is that the younger generation will be dominated by this means of social communication, and will be unable to perform as functioning members of society. They are indoctrinated with efficient communication and often forget how to formally compose a message.

Now, after that initial tirade, how does this translate into the legal profession? If these habits enter the professional realm, damaging consequences may ensue. Granted, law school students generally have a great understanding of language mechanics, but I caution you, in a time where there is an increasingly competitive job market, small errors can make or break your ability to score an initial interview. In a cover letter, writing, “I am interested in coming to work for you’re company,” can be a death sentence to a job-seeker, as hundreds of other applicants will not have made this seemingly small error. Employers are keen to find ways to eliminate potential candidates.

Likewise, when drafting legal memoranda, it does not inspire the reader’s confidence to see a misuse of “than” or “then.” Yes, the reader will understand your intended meaning, but to some, seeing such a mistake is the equivalent of hearing nails on a chalkboard. Some attorneys will take on a position as a judge, and releasing a court opinion that is riddled with errors, yet read by thousands, hardly sounds like a great career strategy.

A client would like to ensure that they are hiring a lawyer who will effectively represent them. Errors can make the difference between having a large, happy client-base, and being unable to find clients because your advertising states, “Have U ben ingured in a car assident? Call or txt Lawyer Bob. C U soon!” Likewise, writing a client that they may “loose” their case hardly establishes comfort in your abilities. Do you need to be the epitome of eloquent? No, but clients would like to think that the person to whom they are paying $300/hour is at least somewhat familiar with grade-school English.

With all that being said, I have been delighted at the superb writing abilities of my peers at Chapman. I am confident that Chapman students will succeed in their career endeavors. I am mostly concerned with the younger generation, those that are currently in high school/early college. We will be their employers, bosses and interviewers. Will we abandon our notions of eloquence; learn to speak a new language inspired by the ever-present need for efficiency? I certainly hope that technology has not permanently damaged the youth of the world and created an increasing communication gap between the generations, but in the words of cyber-speak, “I gueS tym wl tel.”

“Text translations” provided by: www.lingo2word.com