Do they no longer teach English in American schools? I am aware that "American" English has its nuances, but was not aware that it had diverged so far from international English as to become an entirely separate dialect. To illustrate my point, I'd like to share the text of an e-mail I recently received from a certain company's U.S. Networking Tech Support.
Having recently bought a new ADSL modem, I noted that the same model on the company website looked completely different from my own.
Model on the web (left), mine (right)
I asked the company to explain the difference. Here's what they had to say:
Thank you for contacting Xxx Technical Support.
We understand that you are facing an issue with the ADSL 2+ Modem , as it does not looks alike the one which is there in the Website.
We request you to, please check for the desire feature and try installing it.
As some time the new product may be released with new look.
If you face any difficulty in installing it, please revert to us, we will be glad to assist you.
Bruce, if you need further assistance please feel free to write back to us and we will be happy to assist you.
If you have any other questions or problems you may also call us toll free at xxx-xxx-xxxx (Extn. xxxx). Alternatively, call us on xxx xxx xxxx Ext. xxxx
Regards,
Tess Smith
Xxx Technical Support
I have removed the company name to protect the barely literate. I suspect the last two lines of the message are automated, but the rest is like one of those amusing Babel Fish mistranslations. Is "Tess" a badly-taught American, or is this a pseudonym used by a worker who doesn't speak any form of English as their first language? Out-sourcing tech support to the cheapest bidder is not uncommon—but is the above response a good way to represent a company and build confidence in its products? I think not.
Wow, that can't be an American. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the tech support were outsourced. But funny!
I'd be very worried if it were Rob! When we were in China the hotel reception staff had name badges to indicate "Faith", "Mary", "Angel", etc. This practice is apparently common in the tourism industry to make it easier for foreign/ English-speaking guests to address local staff. My guess is that this US company are pulling a variation on the same trick, and that "Tess Smith" is designed to help the customer relate to a certain public face that the company wishes to project. In this case it fails miserably and signals only dishonesty.
"please revert to us, we will be glad to assist you."
This sentence was definitely written by a non native English speaker, not a semi-literate native speaker. The word 'revert' gives it away, as it would not be used at all in this context by a native speaker.
Just for humor's sake, I don't think "Ms. Smith" is Chinese. If she was one of my students I'd have given her a high B for this letter.
Gee Kevin—a high B? I wish you'd been my Engrish teacher as that's a grade I could never have achieved ;-)
Hey, don't diss anyone who doesn't speak english as their first language :P. I know I'm not but I don't think this comment has errors as many as the email you received :)
I read some studies somewhere that discuss about the degradation of American's writing skills in which those skills are now hushed back to academic circle only, not to practical field such as business for example. And with writing as one form of a very important communication tool, no wonder that India and China is catching up with you guys.
Oskar, I intend no disrespect of those who don't speak English as their first language. My wife is in this category and her English is better than mine! I agree writing is a very important communication tool, and that is why it surprised me so that an American company could be so incompetent at communicating with its (American) English-speaking customers. They chose/ outsourced the wrong person for the job: the problem here is ability, not geography.