Marcus Aurelius Meditations
Marcus Aurelius: From Alexander the Grammarian, to be…
From Alexander the Grammarian, to be un-reprovable myself, and not reproachfully to reprehend any man for a barbarism, or a solecism, or any false pronunciation, but dextrously by way of answer, or testimony, or confirmation of the same matter (taking no notice of the word) to utter it as it should have been spoken; or by some other such close and indirect admonition, handsomely and civilly to tell him of it.
The passage follows a public-domain translation of Meditations. The reading beside it is ours.
Correcting people is easy; preserving their dignity while doing it takes skill. Marcus learned from a grammar teacher not to pounce on mistakes or embarrass someone for speaking imperfectly. The modern version is resisting the urge to publicly correct a typo, expose a colleague's bad wording, or win a conversation by proving someone technically wrong. Often the correction says more about our need to feel superior than about the importance of accuracy. That does not mean truth is optional. It means delivery matters. If the point is important, offer the right wording naturally, ask a clarifying question, or speak privately. Help the person get better without turning the moment into a small trial. You will be corrected too, and you will want room to learn. Today, before you point out an error, ask: will this make the work better, or am I trying to make myself look smarter?
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