Re: Why are we excluded AND Grammar

[Lisa Comeau <COMEAUL -at- CSA -dot- CA>]

Kalpana wrote;
"Why should companies hesitate to recruit technical writers working in India?"

I am uncertain as to whether or not you plan to relocate to the US, but I think that, as our counterparts have responded, there are several reasons, depending on your situation.

 I have done work with people whose native language is not English, and I have worked with those who were "born speaking English". In both cases, there have been examples of good and bad writing (on a pretty even scale). However, you often have to take into account that English is a convoluted language, and various grammatical errors are bound to occur when a person is new to ANY language, esp. English. 

Maybe employers are worried about grammatical errors (that are not necessarily the fault of the writer, but the fault of differences in syntax), that may slip by a proofreader (if the company even has one).

An example of this would be the instructions for putting together a barbecue written by a colleague whose native language was not English.

1> Locate slot A on the base of the unit
2> Locate bolt B (found in the accompanying packet)
3> Insert bolt B into slot A and get screwed

(ABSOLUTELY TRUE!)

Although this is humorous, I have come across dangerous examples as well, and all because of differences in syntax. 

So Kalpana, don't be discouraged and think that it is a discrimination issue, it may not be (and I would say it is *not*)but perhaps more one of the company's lack of understanding that a native English speaker is not necessarily a better English writer.

-Lisa Comeau
IS Super-User/Trainer
Certification and Testing Division
Canadian Standards Association
Rexdale, ON
comeaul -at- csa -dot- ca