• Exciting news! With our new Ad-Free Premium Subscription you can enjoy a distraction-free browsing experience while supporting our site's growth. Without ads, you have less distractions and enjoy faster page load times. Upgrade is optional. Find out more here, and enjoy ad-free learning with us!

The harsh reality?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Casiopea

VIP Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2003
Member Type
Other
"The plain fact of the matter is that English has been saddled with a number of rules which do nothing more than reflect the prejudices or lack of knowledge of people not trained in the scientific study of language. What is most amazing, however, is that the public still consider these rules to be inviolate."

Read more:

http://personal.ecu.edu/southardo/history.htm
 

Red5

Webmaster, UsingEnglish.com
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
Interesting. I'll be looking forward to this discussion. ;-)
 

Tdol

Editor, UsingEnglish.com
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Member Type
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
I'll be abck to add more when I've had time to read it, I have added the link, though. ;-)
 

RonBee

Moderator
Joined
Feb 9, 2003
Member Type
Other
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Casiopea said:
"The plain fact of the matter is that English has been saddled with a number of rules which do nothing more than reflect the prejudices or lack of knowledge of people not trained in the scientific study of language. What is most amazing, however, is that the public still consider these rules to be inviolate."

Read more:

http://personal.ecu.edu/southardo/history.htm

I'm not so sure about the second part of that statement. Many people quite readily violate those rules and do so on a daily basis.

:D
 

Tdol

Editor, UsingEnglish.com
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Member Type
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
Casiopea said:

2a. “‘Standard English’ is the kind of language which people should use for all occasions. ‘Standard’ means most servicable and negotiable and therefore most correct.”

I think some would disagree with this. Many would say that Standard English is preferred in some occasions, especially formal ones. Personally, I'd say it would be inappropriate to use Standard English in all situations for an NES. ;-)
 

Tdol

Editor, UsingEnglish.com
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Member Type
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
I'm not sure that 'prejudices' and 'lack of knowledge' should be so closely linked. ;-)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top