 Reprinted from www.writingthatworks.com
Writers from around the United States and Canada gave their opinions on these and 25 other questions in the 10th Annual Writing Usage Survey sponsored by Writing That Works, a national monthly subscription covering business writing and communications. As in earlier surveys, the respondents didn't reach consensus on anything, but they indicated some trends and, possibly, some slowing of trends.
The survey contained three sections: computer-related usages, controversies from earlier surveys, and pesky problems. Highlights for each appear below.
Computer-related usages. Responses revealed some ambivalence about accepting new usages. While a solid majority (58%) chose mouses over mice, slightly more (60%) favored business-to-business site over B2B (33%) or B-2-B (6%).
The trend toward combining words and dropping hyphens appears to continue but at a slower pace than in earlier surveys. Most accept online (79%) but stick with home page (68%). Writers still prefer e-mail (71%) to email (27%), much as respondents did two years earlier.
Both web site (18%) and Web site (31%) have dropped slightly since 1998, but website (50%) has climbed steadily, going from 32% in 1998 and 43% in 1999.
Controversies from earlier surveys. Since 1993 the most hotly debated issue has been whether to accept their as a substitute for a singular pronoun, i.e., "Each child should bring his or her/their/his homework to class." Although the differences are small, their gained higher approval (24%) than ever before and the dominating his or her less (61%).
In contrast, whom (59%) regained ground against who in "Who/m do you want to represent you?" Respondents split down the middle on several issues, including data is/are, media is/are and "None of these quotes makes/make any sense."
In the post-political correctness period, writers avoid offending but differ in choosing vocabulary. Respondents chose disabled veteran (56%) over veteran who is disabled (34%) and rejected both handicapped (4%) and physically challenged (5%). African-American woman (43%) and black (28%) received more support than African American (23%) and Black (4%). Chair (53%) won over chairperson (22%), chairman and chairwoman (14%) and chairman (9%).
Most (77%) approved splitting an infinitive.
Pesky problems. Respondents came closest to consensus (88%) on the last question, supporting the use of a traditional subjunctive ("If I were/was president").
They divided evenly on four other problems: 24-7 (44%) or around the clock all week (51%); 703-623-2329(38%) or (703) 643-2329 (43%); E.B. White (50%) or E. B. White (49%); "I won't use your cell phone any more [48%]/ anymore [51%]."
Solid majorities favored french fries ... chicken kiev (78%) over French fries ... chicken Kiev (21%) and collectibles (80%) over collectables (19%).
To view the survey results sorted by question, with selected comments from respondents, see:
To see the difference in respondents' views depending on which style manual they use, see:
To view the original survey form, see:
To view the two previous usage surveys, see:
To read selected articles from Writing That Works, see: Revised: April 2001 STCWVC Home Page Newsletter Contents |