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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > A plea for sanity on National Grammar Day
A plea for sanity on National Grammar Day
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almaz
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A plea for sanity on National Grammar Day
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One in the eye for the Grammar Police. Well worth a read:
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4 Mar 2013
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Zora
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Another bravo! Wholeheartedly agree with the article.
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4 Mar 2013
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mvblair
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Thanks for the link, Almaz. I liked the article.
I �ve never really understood the obsession that many people have with grammar. I understand that a basic amount of grammar is necessary to learn the language and communicate, but I don �t understand why 21st century schools have this odd compulsion to make teaching object pronouns or conditional pluperfect cornerstones in our language arts programs.
If somebody makes a grammatical mistake, "big deal." 
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4 Mar 2013
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cunliffe
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It should be �grocers � apostrophe. �
Seriously, the tone of this article is so snide, sneery, scornful and superior, it made me want to gag. And I didn�t actually know there was a National Grammar Day, but I�m pleased it�s March 4th, �cos that�s my birthday!
A plea for sanity?!!!! What? Nothing like a nice bit of hyperbole, eh, almaz?
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4 Mar 2013
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almaz
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Any grammar must, by definition, be a set of rules, but what so many people are hung up on are those �zombie rules � which are completely arbitrary and often based on personal preference (like split infinitives and ending a sentence with a preposition).
@Lynne Please enlighten us: what exactly is so "snide, sneery,scornful and superior" about the article? You could start with "snide". |
4 Mar 2013
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cunliffe
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I don �t know any of these people who who are hung up on �zombie rules �, I �m afraid. I can �t imagine anyone these days being seriously bothered by split infinitives or ending a sentence with a preposition, this is decades old stuff to be bothered about.
As for my string of adjectives, I �m just expressing my opinion and anyone can form their own, without further enlightenment from me.
I think there �s a bit of reverse grammar snobbery going on here. |
4 Mar 2013
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almaz
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And Kory Stamper is entitled to his opinion too. I really can�t see what �s so "snide", "sneery" or, especially, "superior" (quite the opposite, I�d imagine) about his opinions, Lynne.
Oh, and Many Happy Returns! |
4 Mar 2013
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cunliffe
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Fair enough and thank you!
Lynne |
5 Mar 2013
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