National Grammar Day?

National Grammar Day? Of course you’re kidding, right? Wrong. March 4th is touted not only as a date, but an imperative: March forth! Who celebrates this sort of thing anyway? Other than teachers, English professors and professional grammarians like Mignon Fogarty, “Grammar Girl” herself. I learned of National Grammar Day from her tweet and site.

Grammar booksAs it turns out, March 4th is also National Poundcake Day. Maybe you’d rather delve into to a buttery confection than properly format a sentence. It’s a toss-up for me. One’s good for my taste buds, but the other benefits my bank account. If you hold out for two more weeks, you can begin celebrating American Chocolate Week (3rd week of March), and notice chocolate gets a whole week of celebration, not merely a day. That works for me. On the other hand, every day could be chocolate day as far as I’m concerned. The National Confectioners Association has also designated December 28th and 29th as National Chocolate Day. Why chocolate needs two additional designated days, I’m not sure. Maybe the folks at NCA ran out of ideas before they ran out of calendar.

In any event, I’m willing to bet most folks are happy that grammar, if it must have any calendar designation at all, is limited to a single day. Nouns, verbs, split infinitives… does it really matter? Actually, yes. Despite the beating grammar has taken in recent years as a result of texting and tweeting, it does matter, and yes, it’s a reflection of your professionalism. Now there may come a time when the Millennials take charge, and “CUL8R” acceptably replaces “Sincerely” to close a letter. But we’re not there yet… at least not in my estimation. Stuffy attitude on my part? Maybe. However, eliminating confusion and providing clear understanding of your message is at the heart of communication. Want to sell your product or service? Clarity counts. Want to convince those prospects that your company is the best choice? Communication matters.

If you’re worried about grammar (and it’s close cousin, spelling), don’t be. When you use a professional copywriter for your business communication, you can toast those worries away and drink to clear communication and the success that comes with it. In fact, you can even make that toast with “The Grammartini.”

From Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips:

“National Grammar Day founder, Martha Brockenbrough, shares her grammartini recipe to spice up your celebrations:

  1. 2 1/2 oz gin
  2. 1/2 oz dry vermouth (The ratio is what’s important.)
  3. 1 green olive (Some people use lemon. I say, what is up with that?)
  4. Pour the ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice cubes. (I use a Value Village cocktail shaker.)
  5. Stir for 30 seconds. (You can also shake, but John McIntyre says this bruises the gin. Who wants to be charged with gin abuse?)
  6. Strain into a martini glass.
  7. Drink”

While I think this may be a great way to celebrate National Grammar Day, I think the only difference between a Grammartini and a regular one is the spelling.

Contact me (adeiterich@writewordforyou.com or 484-769-8897), after you’ve enjoyed your Grammartini (or the potent potable of your choice), so we can eliminate your worries about how your message looks to the world.

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