In these days of instant communication, it’s all too easy to dash off a quick email, be it for work or personal purposes.
But in contrast to the conventions of calling a contact on the telephone, communication through posted letters or face-to-face meetings, the electronic mail medium often brings up some rather abrupt and over-familiar phraseology or stylistic oddity.
With that in mind, the Caymanian Compass asked its readers what, if anything, caused irritation when receiving emails. It provoked an interesting and varied set of responses for the options given.
Spelling and grammar mistakes got on the nerves of the largest number of respondents, with 137 people out of the total of 374, or 36.7 percent, who selected the option.
Another big irritant was the use of capital letters and exclamation points, an option selected by 91 people, or 24.3 percent.
However, in contrast, 95 people, or 25.4 percent, felt that there were no problems and selected “The world is a better place when people try to communicate.”
Extended subject lines with no message irritated 33 people, or 8.8 percent, and the remaining 18 respondents – 4.8 percent – didn’t like it when strangers addressed them by their first names.
Ironically, the poll drew fewer comments than usual; perhaps those who voted were mindful of coming across politely. Nonetheless, there were several points made by participants.
“This was a hard one, as all of the above [options] are annoying in their own way,” one commenter began. “But [email is] a great way to communicate,” the reader concluded, having selected the option that capital letters and exclamation points were the most annoying in the medium.
A fellow selector of that option noted that he disliked it “when people put their own emotions onto an email and respond with rudely. (sic)”
Another commenter under the same option responded, “The multiple Caps and Exclamations seem so childish,” the person wrote, before giving an example for emphasis: “ME, ME ME!!!!!! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.“
Another respondent selected the capital letters option, noting that, “The first four [options] actually,” got on his nerves.
Although the poll gave five options, another participant pointed out that there were numerous other irritations. “Why did you exclude forwarding of inane jokes, superstitious chain letters and emails filled with applets from your ‘bad manners’ list?,” the writer asked. “These are the worst offenders of all!”
One person who selected the option that they were most annoyed by extended subject lines and no message also invoked an irritation that may be familiar to many. “[It is annoying when there is a] paragraph legal disclaimer that’s longer than the message,” began the participant. “Also: attached logos or graphics. In addition, ‘Sent from my iPhone/bb’ always makes me think I’m only worth a quick note on a phone. It doesn’t look professional.”
According to research published by technology company the Radicati Group, there were 3.9 billion active email accounts worldwide in 2013, a figure anticipated to increase to 4.9 billion by the end of 2017.
In its Email Statistics Report, 2013-2017, the company wrote. “In 2013, business email accounts total[ed] 929 million mailboxes. This figure is expected … [to] reach over 1.1 billion by the end of 2017.
“Consumer email accounts currently make up the vast majority of worldwide email accounts, accounting for 76 percent of worldwide email accounts in 2013,” the report continued.
The company noted that these business accounts were responsible for more than 100 billion emails sent and received per day in 2013. “Email remains the predominant form of communication in the business space. This trend is expected to continue and business email will account for over 132 billion emails sent and received per day by the end of 2017.”
The company concluded that, in contrast, consumer email traffic is “expected to decrease over the next four years,” due to consumers opting to use social networking sites, instant messaging, mobile IM, and text messaging to communicate.
Next week’s poll question:
- What can be done to make Cayman’s road safer?
- Reduce the speed limit on West Bay Road
- Put speed bumps along the turning lanes on West Bay Road
- Have more police roadblocks to check for speeders and drink drivers
- Stiffer fines for traffic offenses
- Other (explain)
To participate, visit www.caycompass.com.
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