Language evolves. That includes,grammar,spelling,pronunciation,usage etc.
The more we are able to manipulate these, the more control we have over what is understood by the person with whom we are communicating. But this only works if that person has knowledge of the same rules and conventions (whether they choose to accept them or not).
lWhat matters should be what a person has,to say not how they say it, but this is rarely the case..
On a gardening note: is hobby-horse manure good for roses?
There is a big difference between evolution of language and the issue I raised in the OP. Yes, words take on different meanings over time, but as far as I'm aware the meaning of a measurement doesn't change.
(Sighs, thinking some smart person will come along to refute that belief)
On the hijacked move to language. "For free" and "Off of" irritate me.
I agree natural evolution of language is a good thing. What worries me is the deliberate dumbing down of language. A restricted vocabulary doesn't mean that people no longer have unfashionable thoughts it just means that cannot express them.
KT53 billions does it for me and neatly combines mathematics with evolution of language.
Oh - don't get me started on the 'of' instead of 'have' thing B3!
My nephew is a lecturer and he is stunned by the poor grammar and punctuation he often sees in submitted work. He keeps telling students how important it is that people can understand what they've written, but it often fall on deaf ears.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Knowing how language works is important. When we came to Belgium 25 years ago I trotted off to classes to improve my schoolgirl French. Being old enough to have had serious English grammar lessons and being able to aprse a sentence I coped happily with all the lovely French pedantry of agreeing adjectives and particles with their object and the intricacies of the subjunctive.
Friends only two years younger who had gone to schools who thought grammar was a snobbery bore had no idea and never learned more than enough French to buy things in a supermarket where you only need say hello and thank you.
My daughter has had little formal English education as she went to the local Belgian school where English is the third language and thus has learned her English from us and, unfortunately, lots of USA TV and films plus the Beeb. I correct her vocabulary and grammar quite often as she will need good English for her career.
Being able to construct a sentence, punctuate it and use the correct words is essential to clear communication but not a barrier to friendship with people of greater or lesser ability in languages or any other knowledge than oneself.
That is down to personality.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Posts
Unless we advocate a " race to the bottom" of standards: I'm more than happy to be despised as a Pedant.
Once we get to the point where everyone speaks Gibberish, there's no turning back.
I was brought up on a council estate Verdun. It's not about your obsession with "class" it's about getting things right.
You'd pick someone up of they said a drought loving plant could be planted in a bog, does that make you a " snob" No.
Language evolves. That includes,grammar,spelling,pronunciation,usage etc.
The more we are able to manipulate these, the more control we have over what is understood by the person with whom we are communicating. But this only works if that person has knowledge of the same rules and conventions (whether they choose to accept them or not).
lWhat matters should be what a person has,to say not how they say it, but this is rarely the case..
On a gardening note: is hobby-horse manure good for roses?
B3, Evolution of language is wonderful.
Evolution implies moving forward and getting better. The opposite of what we so often see.
There is a big difference between evolution of language and the issue I raised in the OP. Yes, words take on different meanings over time, but as far as I'm aware the meaning of a measurement doesn't change.
(Sighs, thinking some smart person will come along to refute that belief)
On the hijacked move to language. "For free" and "Off of" irritate me.
I agree natural evolution of language is a good thing. What worries me is the deliberate dumbing down of language. A restricted vocabulary doesn't mean that people no longer have unfashionable thoughts it just means that cannot express them.
KT53 billions does it for me and neatly combines mathematics with evolution of language.
Can't stand would of and bored of
Oh - don't get me started on the 'of' instead of 'have' thing B3!
My nephew is a lecturer and he is stunned by the poor grammar and punctuation he often sees in submitted work. He keeps telling students how important it is that people can understand what they've written, but it often fall on deaf ears.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Knowing how language works is important. When we came to Belgium 25 years ago I trotted off to classes to improve my schoolgirl French. Being old enough to have had serious English grammar lessons and being able to aprse a sentence I coped happily with all the lovely French pedantry of agreeing adjectives and particles with their object and the intricacies of the subjunctive.
Friends only two years younger who had gone to schools who thought grammar was a snobbery bore had no idea and never learned more than enough French to buy things in a supermarket where you only need say hello and thank you.
My daughter has had little formal English education as she went to the local Belgian school where English is the third language and thus has learned her English from us and, unfortunately, lots of USA TV and films plus the Beeb. I correct her vocabulary and grammar quite often as she will need good English for her career.
Being able to construct a sentence, punctuate it and use the correct words is essential to clear communication but not a barrier to friendship with people of greater or lesser ability in languages or any other knowledge than oneself.
That is down to personality.
I stopped posting for two weeks on another forum because of being picked up on my grammar, then realised who really cared except me.