We say that tongue in cheek of course, but being able to understand English grammar is essential if you are to be an accurate transcriber. When learning grammar as a child or even as a non-native English speaker, some of the nuances and rules can appear very confusing and sometimes don’t even make any sense!
How has learning changed?
Remember the days when the teacher stood up at the front of the classroom and the whole class was expected to recite grammatical rules and times tables?! Much has changed since then – no longer are children taught by rote but rather by phonics.
They start by learning the sounds that letters make, beginning with the most common (S, A, T, P, I, N). Beyond this, we were taught how to write English correctly, but not the terms for the grammatical concepts we learned. Now there’s a significant focus on being able to name grammatical terms and understand how to use grammatical elements correctly, with the expectation that they can identify and name things like the past progressive tense.
Why should you bother with being able to understand English grammar?
This might seem like an odd question but when you’re immersed in the world of language as we are, being able to understand it and transcribe it, it really is the cornerstone of what we do. Being able to understand grammar means you are able to communicate effectively and properly with your audience. It’s all about being able to build a bridge between what you mean and what the reader or listeners understand.
Grammar isn’t just about writing in a way that’s right or wrong according to a set of rules (for which there always seem to be multiple exceptions, certainly in English!) It’s about being able to understand what’s being said because the message is clear in terms of its structure and precision. There are certainly some rules that are more important in formal writing (and we’re not talking about those here), but in blogs and more conversational writing, doing so in a way that flows, makes sense and mirrors the style of the person “talking” is important.
Accurate grammar for transcription is essential
So whether it’s generally looking at getting back to basics with how grammar is taught in schools or getting more specific with elements of grammar such as the correct use of the apostrophe, we feel focusing on grammar & getting it right in our transcripts is part and parcel of delivering the right level of service to our clients.
For a professional transcription service that delivers an accurate, quality record of your meeting or event, please contact us on 01737 852 225 or email alex@fionashipley.com.