Objective

To assist members of the public with grammar and usage.

Method of rendering service

Providing a telephone and e-mail advisory service.

A Cautionary Note!

We are advisors, not instructors. We don’t lay down the law so much as chart a course avoiding the rocks of grammar and syntax.

Staffing

Most of our volunteers have spent many years in appropriate fields such as education and are extremely well equipped — all give their services out of love of the English language and a desire to facilitate its use and enhance its standards

Scope of service

Giving advice on grammar, pronunciation, punctuation, semantics, spelling and syntax, as well as practical guidance on matters of usage.

Negotiable areas

Drafting letters, references or other texts, editing, proofreading, translating and providing regular service to any organization — individual consultants are free to undertake such services but may well be expected to negotiate appropriate fees for them.

Excluded

Doing homework, drafting answers to quizzes, contests and crosswords, and accepting (or allowing the Academy to accept) legal responsibility for advice given.

Spoken and Written English

English can be spoken with a variety of accents, and no language judgements can be made about them.  We provide advice on written English only. There is an international standard for writing English, and in South Africa we use the standard based on British usage in grammar, spelling and punctuation.

American English

There are, of course, many Englishes. We strive to offer information about the written form of English used in South Africa, which is based on British usage. Several Web sites give detailed lists of differences in spelling and grammar between British English and American English, e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_and_British_English_differences.

FAQs

Many of the points of usage that we are asked about are discussed in the English Academy booklet, Guidelines on Terms and Punctuation. Copies may be ordered from the English Academy Office.

Contents: -ize/-ise; the ampersand (&); the solidus (/); hyphens and the compounding of words; abbreviations and the use of the full stop; capital letters

Other sources of help

Spread of service

As shown in the schedule below. We are always seeking to enrol new consultants, particularly in areas where little or no help is currently being given.

Enquiries

Co-ordinator: Clive Bruckmann
126 San Sereno
Private Bag X14
Bryanston
2021
Phone/Fax 011.463-4968
English Language Advisory Service

Counsellors