A topic that is rarely discussed is the 'aitch' vs 'haitch' debate so I was interested to read an article in the Age about the origins of its use. It's a form of language that comes with an unspoken disapproval of its use and it made me think about the question of disapproval in the role of editing work and how an editor approaches this in their work.
Is there a silent disapproval for bad grammar and spelling? I relish the opportunity to get my red pen out and I try to refrain from mocking public typos because they will always keep me in a job. But the question for editors is how to approach this disapproval with tact and professionalism without the client feeling judged.
I admit in my early pre-editor days, I emailed a large cinema chain about their airing of an ad that featured a voice-over pronouncing H as 'haitch'. I felt they should have grammar standards and fortunately they replied in a positive and receptive way. But it could've gone the other way, of the company taking offence at my criticism, even though it was constructive.
The Age article is an interesting one and I might use it as water cooler conversation for the week to see how others feel about it. Which side are you on?