Grammar and Disputation

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People may say that 'there is no inherently correct usage ', but all language is rule based and no matter how much we play with the rules, the fundamentals remain fairly unchanged. Everybody will have a cut-off-point at which they regard something as ungrammatical. When the idea of ungrammatical is accepted, then correct usage gets in. There are disagreements, but no one crosses the lines in the sand.

The following is not grammatical:

It it it it it it it it it it it it it it it.

If this is not grammatical or comprehensible by any stretch of the imagination, then is inherently correct usage- it only uses English words and shows the visual characteristics of a sentence, but it is not a sentence and has no meaning. The basics of language change slowly over time, like English losing the concept of masculine, feminine or neuter for nouns, but the changes people are squabbling about are fairly minor. Once the idea of a bottom line is established, then the only way is up through the levels of rules and pernickertiness until peoplefind a level at which they are comfortable. ;-)

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Anindita Majumder

Is the sentence"I picked up the ball from the well" correct?

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Anindita Majumder on Grammar and Disputation:
Is the sentence"I picked up the ball from the well" correct?

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