somniloquence

I hope you don't mind me commenting. I've been thinking of this for a while in relation to my job. One of the editorial tasks I have is to maintain the database of standard customer service replies our company sends. Part of our house style is not to use contractions on the theory that non-native English speakers will have trouble with them--from our US-based site, we only answer in English but we get inquiries from all over the world. The stiff formality of the style has been bugging me more and more. (We use it in our online Help pages too.) It alerts customers that we are sending templates, when our goal is to sound personalized.

I wish I knew how valid the theory behind our old standard really is. If I had any kind of data to back up an argument, I'd lead a crusade for contractions.

Anyway, this is out of the blue, I realize, but hello and I hope you are well.