Sunday, July 02, 2006
Stop, You Scofflaw! It's the Grammar Police!
We try to do it mainly within the walls of our own home. But occasionally it’s hard to restrain ourselves. When it happens in public, strangers and casual acquaintances look askance at us. Even though friends are a little more accepting, they still sigh, and roll their eyes. It’s a persnickety little habit that my family members and I share: we often posse up as The Grammar Police.
I realize that many people scoff at the importance or necessity of good grammar. Informality rules the day, and speech and the written word are often means to an end in communication, rather than a strict and precise discipline in and of themselves. With such thinking, anything is acceptable. People may also think that learning rules, cases, and exceptions is boring, and a waste of time.
Using proper grammar requires discipline and control. It constrains the user to an orderly method and regimen. Success in any venture almost certainly requires at least a modicum of these attributes. The objection that adherence to grammar stifles creativity is groundless when one realizes that grammar is only a framework or vehicle, and that true creativity stems form the user's ability to embellish, elaborate, and extend within the the given syntax. Formal language and the ability to effectively communicate are what separate us from other animal life. And quite frankly, our grammar is going to the dogs.
Thus, I have deputized myself for a special task force on eradicating certain grammatical errors. Before continuing, I will make a disclaimer. My family and I don't purport to have perfect grammar 100% of the time. (Well, perhaps my husband and sons strive for that distinction.) But here are a few simple, and altogether too frequent, grammatical errors that we see and hear each day, that make us cringe, wince, and want to issue the following citations:
Examples of the Offense:
Your a fanatic about grammar. (Correct: You’re a fanatic…)
Its an important skill. (Correct: It’s an important skill.)
Each rule has it’s own relevant reason’s. (Correct: Each rule has its own relevant reasons.)
Example of the Offense:
Him and me are doing our English homework. (Correct: He and I…)
Example of the Offense:
I have less mistakes than you. (Correct: I have fewer mistakes...)
Example of the Offense:
I could care less about grammar. (Correct: I couldn’t care less about grammar.)
For more common mistakes, see this Grammar Slammer website. But now, for fun, examine the concluding paragraph below, and find at least 15 grammatical errors, misspellings, and misused words NOT mentioned above. Then, post a comment detailing your findings!
I realize that many people scoff at the importance or necessity of good grammar. Informality rules the day, and speech and the written word are often means to an end in communication, rather than a strict and precise discipline in and of themselves. With such thinking, anything is acceptable. People may also think that learning rules, cases, and exceptions is boring, and a waste of time.
Using proper grammar requires discipline and control. It constrains the user to an orderly method and regimen. Success in any venture almost certainly requires at least a modicum of these attributes. The objection that adherence to grammar stifles creativity is groundless when one realizes that grammar is only a framework or vehicle, and that true creativity stems form the user's ability to embellish, elaborate, and extend within the the given syntax. Formal language and the ability to effectively communicate are what separate us from other animal life. And quite frankly, our grammar is going to the dogs.
Thus, I have deputized myself for a special task force on eradicating certain grammatical errors. Before continuing, I will make a disclaimer. My family and I don't purport to have perfect grammar 100% of the time. (Well, perhaps my husband and sons strive for that distinction.) But here are a few simple, and altogether too frequent, grammatical errors that we see and hear each day, that make us cringe, wince, and want to issue the following citations:
Examples of the Offense:
Your a fanatic about grammar. (Correct: You’re a fanatic…)
Its an important skill. (Correct: It’s an important skill.)
Each rule has it’s own relevant reason’s. (Correct: Each rule has its own relevant reasons.)
Example of the Offense:
Him and me are doing our English homework. (Correct: He and I…)
Example of the Offense:
I have less mistakes than you. (Correct: I have fewer mistakes...)
Example of the Offense:
I could care less about grammar. (Correct: I couldn’t care less about grammar.)
For more common mistakes, see this Grammar Slammer website. But now, for fun, examine the concluding paragraph below, and find at least 15 grammatical errors, misspellings, and misused words NOT mentioned above. Then, post a comment detailing your findings!
