Correct Grammar
Being correct in grammar has always been a priority in my family, especially my mother. Only her and her younger sister were the ones that graduated from college. So to me, this is important to learn. I’m going to agree with Drew in the fact that being grammatically correct is foreign. For example, "To whom this may concern" I wouldn’t say that, but it is correct. So, for me the issue is in language and what we call "correct" and "incorrect" grammar. My question is, when was it considered "incorrect" grammar when it is clear that language is a never ending cycle of evolution?
posted by Anonymous @ 12:47 AM
7 comments
7 Comments:
I think it depends entirely on the time period on what is considered correct and incorrect. And I guess technically if language is constantly changing then there can be no set point for when incorrect grammar is considered correct. It's probably more a gradual process.
Very good question. I would like to know that answer as well. As for my two cents, I believe there is a sort of base guideline for language and as it evolves, society makes the necessary changes but still keeping with the traditional "correct" way. Like science, language is not unchanging so it's inevitable that there will be adjustments to the guidelines.
I think that like many old systems we have several standards for grammar that people rarely use. Most of us know or think we may know the correct way to say something but we don't use it because it's not used in our social situations, therefore we speak ro write somewhat incorrectly. I notive my language is very different when I'm interviewing for a job or working with adults than when I'm with my friends. I think our social grammar or language changes much more frequently than the "professional" or traditional grammar, creating a need for us to know rules and recognize the appropriate times to use them.
I grew up in a family where grammar was very important too, and one of the things my mother taught me was that, just because people say a certain phrase or word in the English language, it doesn't mean it's correct grammatically, or that it's even a word at all (ex. "ain't"). Some things are appropriate when speaking, but if it ever showed up in writing it would be frowned upon, and sometimes we need to write in ways that would sound old-fashioned when speaking (like "to whom it may concern").
I agree with, well, all of the above. There's a time and place for every type of grammar, whether speaking in a certain "code" or writing a formal business letter. Despite these formulas that are in place, I think that, as language evolves, these will follow.
I agree with Jenni that our spoken grammar can conflict with what we think of as "formal writing." For instance, I have never answered a phone caller's request to speak with me as "this is she." Though this is grammatically correct my friends would tease me to such a point that the satisfaction of having used correct grammar would be over shadowed by my shame of not being "cool."
I think it is interesting to watch how the dictionary evolves over time - as new words are integrated into colloquial language, they usually are eventually also integrated into the formal vernacular. Does anyone else find it funny that Webster's just added "soul patch" in 2006 to the dictionary? Apparently that phrase has gained enough mainstream popularity to be formally defined. "Drama queen" was also just added, so in case you need to know what either of those phrases mean, the dictionary can now tell you!
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