Monday, November 19, 2007
The Worst English in History
The following is an excerpt from an email sent by Travel Oregon (the official state tourism agency) promoting the annual Governor's Conference on Tourism next April:
"Today in Oregon is like no other.
Today in Oregon is like Oregon itself – unique, wide open and full of
possibility.
How did we get to this moment in time, as colleagues, partners,
leaders and friends? Through our shared vision of endless potential,
through our love of expanding human sympathies through travel, through
our hope that building a stronger tourism industry one destination,
one attraction, one fishing guide, one beach, one bed and breakfast
and one mountain at a time, will lead to a greater whole and the
greater good, and to an unfathomably bright future for our children.
Our job is to channel this, focus it, and join all those singular
passions together to sustain our already vibrant industry.
It's our job to build those bonds as bridges to the future,
to Sustain the Dream in Oregon, every minute of every day, 365 days a year."
It is my personal opinion that this is the worst piece of writing in the history of the English language. I can't personally think of anything close, although I haven't read everything.
The bureaucrats at Travel Oregon have decided that they are the arbiters of taste, marketing skill, and "compelling" writing. I offer this as Defense Exhibit A that this is not so.
"Today in Oregon is like no other.
Today in Oregon is like Oregon itself – unique, wide open and full of
possibility.
How did we get to this moment in time, as colleagues, partners,
leaders and friends? Through our shared vision of endless potential,
through our love of expanding human sympathies through travel, through
our hope that building a stronger tourism industry one destination,
one attraction, one fishing guide, one beach, one bed and breakfast
and one mountain at a time, will lead to a greater whole and the
greater good, and to an unfathomably bright future for our children.
Our job is to channel this, focus it, and join all those singular
passions together to sustain our already vibrant industry.
It's our job to build those bonds as bridges to the future,
to Sustain the Dream in Oregon, every minute of every day, 365 days a year."
It is my personal opinion that this is the worst piece of writing in the history of the English language. I can't personally think of anything close, although I haven't read everything.
The bureaucrats at Travel Oregon have decided that they are the arbiters of taste, marketing skill, and "compelling" writing. I offer this as Defense Exhibit A that this is not so.
