English Grammar
Watch this postHow important is the correct use of English grammar and punctuation to you on social networking sites? If you see something mis-spelt on Facebook are you itching to correct it, or does it not detract from the what you are reading?
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We don't tolerate swearing, and reserve the right to remove any posts which we feel may offend others... let's keep it friendly!
I couldn't believe what I was looking at! The handwriting resembled the aftermath of a spider falling down an inkwell, little and no punctuation, but worst of all it contained text speak spelling!!
This was difficult to write as I was trying to concentrate on not making a grammatical error, have I succeeded?
It sometimes needs to be set a few times before it accepts the new instructions, but it can be done. Can save a lot of swearing and shouting 🙂
So spare a thought about being pedantic about grammar and spelling errors .
I loved English language when I was at school (many moons ago) and all that I was taught has stuck with me well over 50 years
Feel free to question anything I write that seems wrong, though you might consider using private chat. 🙂
Keith
I think I have said earlier in this thread that punctuation isn't always necessary to understand what is being said - many years ago, when I was a staff nurse, I was reading a nurses report on her patient (a child) it read "Returned from theatre after a tonsillectomy vomited mother coming up later".
I understand it but I've seen the glazed eyes in the faces of so many students when the topic comes up. Misuse may annoy people [like the Turkish takeaway near me whose sign blazes that they sell "pizza's, kebab's and burger's"!], but sometimes I wonder if we are the only language that uses apostrophes in this confusing way!
Also, i think you will find teachers do teach the use of the apostrophe. Have a look in a top junior classroom today and you are likely to see charts or pyramids with simplified rules on. But that's another problem: primary teachers necessarily simplify a complex rule for their younger children and it is difficult later to convince a teenager that there is more to it than they were taught in Year 5!
Your last point is really interesting. My generation were taught these rules when we were really young, and most of my generation get it right, so if we managed to understand it, then why on earth can't today's primary age children manage it. I'm sure they could if it was explained to them simply and clearly.
I take your point, though, about people seeing the incorrect usage of apostrophes and the confusion that might well cause.
Why is good grammar seen to be at odds with creativity? They coexisted very well in the past.
Creative juices need to flow and you can sweat the small stuff later, so to speak - that sounds really simple in theory but, as I have said, many do tend to fret over it.
I absolutely hate the way that English is murdered daily in the UK. There are so few places one can go where it is properly spoken these days and even less where it is used correctly.
Mr Higgins in My Fair Lady was oh so right...Why can't the English each their children how to speak?
If WE do nothing about it...... who will??
Chinglish etc is being accepted as a new dialect....I ask you!
I can't understand a word people from Glasgow or Fife say. Even Brummies and Newcastle.....is that English?
It is, I believe, accepted that people living now would not understand the language, usage and nuancing that was used 150 years ago even. That just shows how alive and vibrant our English language is. We shouldn't try to tie it down with rules and regulations (while they do help us to understand the language now)
Not sure what you mean by "the original English language" - do you mean Celtic? In which case Welsh and Gaelic are closer. Do you mean Anglo-Saxon? But few of them reached Northumberland. Possibly Norse as those Vikings desolated the north east coast. Just goes to show that the organic nature of English you referred to in your last paragraph means any attempt to capture it and prevent change is doomed to fail.
Don't thee push off ,or i'le be reigt mad, withee
If you come across one of my posts which make little sense then please don't think I've been at the cooking sherry.
It's not so much my written text that annoys me, but my Yorkshire accent ! I hate it, but when I try to lose it I sound sooo stupid.
However, getting back to the subject......I get quite irritated when I spot spelling or grammatical mistakes whilst reading books!
For example: I often wonder when people say things like "I don't know nothing" or "can I do ...." (when asking permission) if they realise what they have said.
You could go on for a long time with similar examples. It would be interesting to know fellow surfers' favourites.
E&OE!
meant for use by Americans only, but can't even guarantee that. When using a computer for the first time, I always check what setting the spell-check or language it is set to. Invariably they are set for U.S.. I always change it to UK or Aus.