tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post7017447217552020050..comments2023-10-22T14:14:16.419+01:00Comments on J. Arthur MacNumpty: In Defence of Grammar FascismWillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10978812670312106107noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-37426381328627084452009-10-02T07:34:32.326+01:002009-10-02T07:34:32.326+01:00Kind words, Will, and very much appreciated.
Yep,...Kind words, Will, and very much appreciated. <br />Yep, some people do use grammatical correctness as a tool for condescension.<br />It's not very nice, and if I'm tempted to use that approach, I have to ask myself whether I'm really worried about getting the nuts and bolts right; or, has this chap just kicked my arse with a good argument, and am I just trying to get under his skin.<br />Yousuf's point about theatre and classical music is a bit self revealing.<br />He should relax, and realise that people who go after him on grammatical points probably don't have an answer to his points which can be cogently and briefly expressed.<br />As far as grammar is concerned, well, I had it hammered into me in my Glasgow childhood, and it just stuck; not in any formulaic way, just a sense of what works and what doesn't.<br />None of which prevents howlers - sometimes we all just hat the wreng buttond (!).Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02542854437088040337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-39976239730449577092009-09-30T10:32:29.597+01:002009-09-30T10:32:29.597+01:00As far as learning another language is concerned, ...As far as learning another language is concerned, can I put in a word for Esperanto?<br /><br />I suggest not only because it has become a living language, but because it has great propaedeutic values as well. Esperanto helps language learning!<br /><br />You can check this out at http://www.lernu.netBrianhttp://www.esperanto.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-80162902786971293242009-09-29T18:42:46.906+01:002009-09-29T18:42:46.906+01:00Did the SNP not say
"We will reduce class si...Did the SNP not say<br /> "We will reduce class sizes in Primary 1, 2 and 3 to 18 pupils or less" , Will.<br /><br />'Fewer', surely.<br /><br />Poor grammar, worse performance. ;-Dred misthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08576688704520040250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-11303161838904778432009-09-29T16:32:18.351+01:002009-09-29T16:32:18.351+01:00So the master speaks!
But do the comments suggest...So the master speaks!<br /><br />But do the comments suggest that some people actually understand the more arcane elements of the article?!?<br /><br />Well I certainly don't, but on the other hand in general terms I agree with the thrust of the post.<br /><br />I think!Stuart Wintonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02772436419630464325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-33644059515932337292009-09-29T03:38:31.818+01:002009-09-29T03:38:31.818+01:00It's not being facist, it's being right!
...It's not being facist, it's being right! <br /><br />But of course some people write with more style than others. Hooray for them, I say. Yousuf seems to be labouring under an inferiority complex if he thinks grammar is about elitism. I don't feel insecure when I hear Slash playing amazing guitar, I admire his skill. Same goes with writing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-14301167779927921792009-09-29T00:15:34.813+01:002009-09-29T00:15:34.813+01:00A very good and interesting article. Unfortunately...A very good and interesting article. Unfortunately I know a lot more about the technical aspects of grammar used in French and Arabic than I do in English as in the last I acquired the knowledge I do have, such as it is, by a sort of osmosis rather than formal learning or at least only to a relatively modest level. I've often observed that many non-native English speakers can use our language only to a very limited extent, even if they use it regularly for professional or business purposes (as so many must) and speak it quite well, but relatively few can go beyond that to use it correctly in idiomatic terms. English seems simple because it is so ubiqutious, but in my view is one of the most fiendishly complex languages around.<br /><br />On the other hand the complexities of French regularly challenge even <br />well-educated native speakers, particuarly a notoriously difficult oral writing test which is something of a national obsession there. Arabic is a very complex, but also very logical and regular language - but of course I as a non-native speaker probably know the rules which underlie the langauge a lot better than even well-educated native-speakers, because they do not need to learn the rules in the same formal way as they grow up knowing them, rather as I like to think I have with English. My hand-writing is certainly a whole lot better in Arabic than in English!Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10393265755614039206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-76509780113941879572009-09-28T22:48:55.435+01:002009-09-28T22:48:55.435+01:00Well said Will. My hobby horse is spelling, not j...Well said Will. My hobby horse is spelling, not just typos but spelling which affects the whole meaning of a phrase or sentence.<br /><br />Saying that I would never embarrass anyone but publicly pointing out an error - unless I knew they wanted help.<br /><br />These days there's something worse than bad grammar and it's bad pronounciation. Just tonight on BBC News controversy was said repeatedly with the emphasis on the prefix. Ouch!<br /><br />Now I'm going to visit Yousuf and give him some support - he deserves it.<br /><br />Tschüss.subrosahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00151702590329788260noreply@blogger.com