What happened to grammar and spelling?

Question

If I wrote and spoke like others that I see on this site, I would be unemployed!

Language is a gift. Why don't people embrace it?

Answer 1

Being a linguist who taught courses on English grammar at a major U.S. university last year (and will do so again this summer), I actually have a lot to say on this subject. So many people on this site criticize the grammar of others. I find it quite perplexing, actually, because I view criticizing the grammar of others as a way to discriminate against them.

All native speakers of any language use grammar that is systematic and patterned. It is not "wild", "random" grammar that people are using. Most of the "grammar rules" that we learn in books were created in the 1700s. However, many of the grammar patterns that they prohibit had been in use in English for a few hundred years before that. So in almost all cases, when people "break" grammar rules, they are actually just continuing to use grammar patterns that English speakers have been using for hundreds of years.

As a linguist, I analyze language very carefully and try to discover the hidden patterns in our language behavior. It's quite remarkable that language is so complex and yet every normal human being can do it. I personally think that normal, everyday speakers of English and other languages are much more savvy than most people realize. Did you know that we can predict the things that people are going to say and start reacting to them before they even say them? Did you know that we all know thousands of words which we can access and use at any time? So, in a way, I see grammar rules as kind of unnecessary, because the grammar rules tend to make language actually a lot simpler than it really is. I often don't see the point.

Don't get me wrong: grammar rules have social cachet that help them to continue to be used in many settings. However, we don't need books to teach us how to use words to our advantage; we already do it naturally. I really don't see the need for us to criticize the grammar of others if it doesn't follow some set of rules that we have bought into. People learn to speak when they are little children, before they learn to read and write, so in the grand scheme of things grammar books will have little impact on the way people really use language anyway. If you want to see what I'm saying, tape record yourself having a conversation at work (with your fellow conversants' permission of course) and transcribe the conversation. I think you'll be surprised to learn about just how little you actually follow the grammar rules you clam to follow. And yet you and your coworkers all understand each other anyway.

So while grammarians every are decrying that our language is somehow decaying, everyday speakers and users of English are out there innovating and using language for their social purposes in remarkable ways.

To learn more on this topic, see this article, which explains how many grammar rules were invented:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_linguistic_prescription_in_English

Answer 2

Spelling and Grammar are victims of the computer age. I was listening to a radio program the other day and Henry Rollins was a guest. Anyone who doesn't know Henry Rollins, he's a Punk Rock singer, used to be with Black Flag now he is the leader of the Henry Rollins experience. Anyway, despite what you might think Henry is a fairly erudite guy and knows what he's talking about when he discusses politics and society, he says that "MSN is like mainlining Dumb". I totally agree. You want to know where spelling and grammar have gone? Just watch anyone who is a regular user of that service have a conversation with a friend on line.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

I'd try to explain it in my own way. I hope my reply is substantive enough.
This site is earmarked for questioners from India. That questions from the US or the UK spill over into this site is something Yahoo knows best. It isn't bad though, considering that we have an insight into the questions from English speaking people from other parts of the world too. But not all Indians are very strong in the basics of English language, considering that it isn't the mother tongue of the majority. A large number of people have a "working knowledge" of English by which he or she is just about able to convey his message and the other understands it even if with a "little" difficulty. They know English, however imperfect, because it is an international language spoken across the world and is necessary for trade and commerce and not out of any love for English. But English is the only medium of communication on Yahoo and they put up their questions or problems in that language only. The effort is not only far from perfect but occasionally produce humorous results as well. But let us treat it with the consideration it deserves and not sit in judgement over it or act superior. These people are quite good in their own mother tongue which may be one of the numerous Indian languages that are no less rich than English in content and variety. They have indeed embraced the gift of their "own" language. Only, we don't know.

Answer 5

People have embraced ignorance. Somewhere along the line, education became a bane. The vocabulary of the average is simplistic at best. Being intelligent places our children outside the clique. Grammar and spelling has gone the way of manners and grace. But, laziness is the worst of it. People can't even hit the spell check buttons provided for them.

Answer 6

I think that using messenger is probably the main reason why some people have such poor spelling and grammar. They don't wish to spend more time checking what they write, and at times I have to slow down in order to understand what they write. I don't think they can do this when they write a paper at school; otherwise, they'll have poor grades for their poor grammar and spelling.

Answer 7

Well, maybe one reason why people have poor grammar and spelling is due to text-messaging. In text messaging, many people use shortcuts in order to allow more space for their messages (ex. c u l8r alig8r! instead of "see you later alligator!") so they might get habituated to this sort of way of spelling. If ind this quite careless of people since they would be unconsciously preferring to stick to the easy side of things.

Others may just not be well-acquainted with the English language and its rules of syntax and grammar because it is probably not their native tongue. In this case, we ought to be more understanding and commend our foreign friends who are at least giving English a try in order to use the universal language in communicating beyond their language barriers.

Answer 8

I agree with you 100%, I can understand if you're typing a text message in order to save time, but I think the sad part is a lot of people today honestly don't know proper English.

Answer 9

You are exactly correct. The problem that I am seeing, especially in the schools, is the computer. My youngest son (8th grade) has only had one year of learning how to write in cursive writing with his hand. I don't ever recall him having to use a dictionary that much or encyclopedia. Everything is done on the computer with spell check. The Standard's of Learning tests in our state are taking away from the students learning anything that deals with common sense. The teacher's are limited on what they can teach and are given a list of what to teach and the deadline for teaching it. It is really a shame.

Answer 10

They are not lost but kept idle in the class room as the world is moving thick and fast people don't find time to bother about grammar and spelling but find language as a tool only to communicate in a simple way