It is with some risk that I even bring up the subject of grammar. Because somehow by insisting on proper grammatical usage, one sets himself up as somehow superior...too good to be mingling with the masses. But if someone doesn't get on the grammar bandwagon, soon there will be no standards at all, just a mishmash of words thrown together in goofy patterns.
A little part of me dies when I hear a sports announcer say, "Joe Torre spoke to John and I before the game." Aaaarrrrgggghhhhh!!! Why couldn't Mr. Microphone simply think, "Joe Torre spoke to me", therefore I will say, "Joe Torre spoke to John and me."?
Or this classic: "Us guys are going to the party." Would you say, "Us are going to the party?" I hope not.
Admittedly, grammar rules are obscure and nebulous. Admittedly, some folks are good at numbers and not words. But can you see how the entire scope of communication is hanging by a thread (or a dangling participle)? If the last person who can speak correctly dies, does ebonics take over?
3 comments:
I don't have extra time to dive into your blog, so please, give me a quick explanation of the airplanes.
I agree with you------poor speaking drives me crazy.
Lisa: It comes from the fact that my hobby is aviation photography. I'm a camera geek who spends spare time at airports taking pictures. I can't help it.
I got onto a student who said this to me: "Is ya going to the game?" I had to ask him several times to repeat himself because I thought he asked, "Is HE going to the game?" I had no clue to whom he was referring to. I then asked him if he was asking if I was going to the game. I made him ask it correctly before I replied. Michael told me I shouldn't have done that because that was HIS language and how HE spoke. NOT IN MY CLASSROOM!
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