Did anybody read the article in today's Bee titled, "It's Hip To Be Grammatically Correct"? Well, I did, as educating the world about proper grammar, especially misplaced apostrophes, is my goal in life. A round of applause to Gina Kim for writing an article such as this, where she not only includes interviews and quotes from grammar/English teachers and researchers as to why people are choosing to correctly use grammar, but she also addresses some common grammatical mistakes and corrects them.
I must say that there were a few different parts of the article that stood out to me and really rang true. I'd like to share them with you.
"Claiming, 'Who cares how I say it or write it, as long as I am understood,' is like claiming, "Who cares what clothing I wear, as long as it keeps me warm and covers my nakedness.' But clothing performs more than those functions. Your choice of clothing says something about your taste, your awareness of others."
"With the accent, we think of where you're from. With the grammar, it's where you went to school, what job you have, the kind of people you hang out with."
Ms. Kim, as I said above, also includes a mini test for readers to find the mistakes in the given sentences. Number two, following my own crusade, reads, "Martha made some homemade soup and sandwiche's." The answer reads as follows: "Martha made some soup and sandwiches. In this case, "homemade" is redundant, and the apostrophe in a plural noun is wrong wrong wrong." That's my favorite - not just one "wrong," but three!
All I have to say is this: Remember that how you speak and how you write says a lot about you. If you use words incorrectly when you speak or punctuation incorrectly when you write, people may perceive you as less intelligent or educated than you are. Just look at all the flack President Bush gets for his errors. Take pride in yourself and you abilities. Try to put forth the best you that you can.
I'll close with my favorite part of the article:
"I think people who use grammar correctly are sexy because it means they're smart."
9 comments:
Also, proof your comments for spelling errors before you post.
Mr. or Mrs. Anonymous, are you making reference to something that I misspelled in my post? If so, please point it out because neither I nor the spellchecker found it. You can remain anonymous.
"as it keeps me warn" did you mean warm? The spellchecker won't catch it because it is spelled right but it is the wrong word.
Oh, and thank you for your kindness by allowing me to remain anonymous...
I was happy to see that article too and thought of you when I read it. I hope that grammar is making a comeback. Things do go in cycles and this would be a most welcome change for the better. I've always been so aware of grammar, probably because english was not my first language. It grates on my nerves when I hear or see errors. I can't stand it when people say things like "I could care less". What they are saying is that they care a great deal. I could go on and on but that would be crazy. I know you understand.
Annonymous, you got me. Thanks. Damn those "n" and "m" keys for being so close together...
Even I looked over and missed it. Must be because the letters are so close. It is too bad that anonymous feels that have to hide their identity. You seem scared or something...
I'm sure anonymous isn't scared. But I do have an overwhelming curiousity as to who you are!
come on anonymous - speak up!
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