Here’s a terrific essay on the challenges of writing well if your mother tongue is other than English. And in fact it’s a terrific essay on writing in general and useful for anyone who wants to be a better writer. Take a look; you’ll be glad you did. cr
I really like how this essay focuses on more cultural issues when writing in English then grammatical ones. It’s amazing how eloquently the author puts it making it so easy to grasp!
Thanks, Patrick. If you (and the rest of the class) want to read an extremely moving and eloquent piece on the writer’s background, check out:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/29/books/william-zinsser-author-of-on-writing-well-at-his-work.html
It’s an incredible story and he’s an incredibly lovely man. I’m going to see him in a couple of weeks, and I will tell him that my students are enjoying his essay. cr
My favorite excerpt from Dan Berry’s article:
“Clutter is the disease of American writing,” he declared in one passage that tends to haunt anyone daring to write about Mr. Zinsser. “We are a society strangling in unnecessary words, circular constructions, pompous frills and meaningless jargon.”
I laughed as soon as I read those lines because they reflect my writing style. As I self-consciously write this comment, I think about the excessive time I spend overanalyzing my diction and syntax. I stray away from content while I drown my writing with “unnecessary words.” I can’t seem to find the proper phrases to express my thoughts in English or Albanian; therefore, I’m left with jumbled words and confused readers.
I suffer from “the disease of American writing,” but I’m working toward a cure. I’ll try to “fall in love with active verbs,” as Mr. Zinsser suggests.