To the Editor:
I applaud your suggestion that Brown institute a new writing requirement, but it's too bad no one caught the grammatical and spelling errors in Wednesday's editorial ("Our writing suggestion," Feb. 20). Call me a pedant (maybe I don't blame you), but perhaps I can point the finger at my uncompromising Brown University training.
Maybe I'm the only person under the age of 50 who is bothered by split infinitives, but I couldn't help noticing your admonition that "aspiring authors and journalists aren't the only ones who need to rigorously develop (writing) skills." Further on, you worry that if professors contact a dean too late, "a student will leave their course and possibly take no other writing-intensive ones." If, by "their," you're attempting to refer to the student, you'd best avoid the plural; if you mean the professors, the plural "courses" is necessary. Lastly, you misspell the word "assessment," leaving out that pesky second "s" in the middle. Maybe we should agree to call them misprints. Let's look on the bright side - at least they're errors in spelling rather than judgment.
I could go on, noting your abrupt switch from the subjunctive to the indicative in the penultimate paragraph, but I think I've made my point. Finally, I repeat your challenge: Got writing game? Prove it.
Claire Leonard '08.5Feb. 24
