15th Dec 2005
Ms. Theologian reflects on lateness…..
Dear Ms. Theologian —I work the third shift, 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. Everyone I work with gets along well, but often the person who replaces me is late. Just 5 or 10 or 15 minutes, but it’s still late, and man, I’m tired and want to go home. We joke about it. “Hey, you’re late, ha, ha. “Yeah, ha, ha, traffic, you know….” The boss is never around at that hour. Should I tell on my coworker?
–Sleepyhead
Dear Sleepyhead –
When you find yourself using language like “tell on my coworker” it’s time for a maturity-check.
Ms. Theologian thinks that you should speak to the coworker directly, honestly, and explain how the lateness affects you. You should only “tell” your boss as a last resort.
Promptly,
Ms. Theologian
There’s minor lateness that doesn’t effect anyone else, but this is more than lateness, it’s a lack of awareness of one’s coworkers. Or a lack of caring. Very frustrating, but your advice is good as always.
Yeah, you’re right, it’s the fact that the lateness affects (effects?) someone else….especially someone who has been up all night.
Stephanie, an agent effects things while things affect someone. If these things start keeping you up at night, pick up a copy of Fowler’s.
Oh, sadly, I have plenty of style guides, anonymous. And equally sad, they are pretty inconsistent on the use of effect/affect. I have learned to simply move on.
I write around affect and effect too.