Summary of “On the Need of Some Grammar” 1. In his chapter “On the Need of Some Grammar” found in Modern American Usage, Wilson Follett argues that we need grammar to govern our language. 2. Follett explains that the type of grammar we need is traditional. A traditional approach to grammar involves an emphasis on syntax. Syntax deals with how words relate to each other in a sentence. This knowledge of how words work together provides the type of logical analysis necessary to speak and write correctly. An emphasis on syntax demonstrates the conservative view that language is an art of expressing meaning. 3. Although conservatives advocate syntax, linguists say that we need morphology. Morphology is the most basic grammar which deals with …show more content…
Follett continues by explaining that although early descriptive grammarians were helpful, the activity of modern linguists is now harmful. Before linguists’ harmful activity began, early descriptive grammarians included men such as Henry Sweet who inspired the Danish scholar Otto Jespersen to produce A Modern English Grammar on Historical Principles. These men and their works were helpful by laying the foundation for traditional grammar. However, after these early grammarians, modern linguists introduced speechways, an idea which claims that writing and grammar books are artificial and unnecessary. This denial of the need of our need for grammar has proved harmful to the traditional foundations of …show more content…
Although conservative grammar abides by correctness, linguists say that errors often repeated are no longer errors. According to linguists, common errors are only considered to be incorrect by grammarians. As a results, linguists also claim that however people chose to speak should be considered correct with no regard for set standards. However, rules should not be thrown out just because evidence exists that they are being broken. Commonly broken rules do have the power to change language, especially by changing the meanings of words, but such errors should not make rules of grammar null and void. Without rules, communication would disintegrate, making this argument by linguists harmful to the purpose of
includes conservatives, who believe that there is a correct way and a wrong way. The second group, the linguist says that there is no such thing as correctness of language usage.
Some teachers, when it comes to a child’s writing, do not want to make a child feel like what they wrote is wrong. Goldstein points out that teens today struggle more on college essays and in college because they are not taught correct grammar. Kathleen Sokolowski said that she went to Catholic school and grammar was a major element in her studies. I went to Catholic school as well and it was the same way. I knew others that were in public schools that did not learn grammar like I
In the article “I won’t hire people who use poor grammar here’s why.” published in Harvard business review on managing yourself, Kyle Wiens argues that he have a zero approach which does not allow for any grammar mistake because it makes people stupid, and he believes that people who made mistake in grammar do not deserve to have a job. Further, he supports his thesis by stating that people who made an error in their writing will do error in their work and their life. In addition, he claims that language is constantly changing, but that does not ignore the importance of the grammar. Thus, this claim is supported by stating that good grammar is credibility. For example, programmers who
In “Do You Speak American?” by Robert MacNeil, MacNeil uses outside sources, personal anecdotes, and familiar diction in attempts to prove that the transformation of American English is a positive outcome and should be accepted.
Hill, Jane H., P. J. Mistry, and Lyle Campbell. The Life of Language: Papers in Linguistics in Honor of William Bright. Berlin [etc.: Mouton De Gruyter, 1998. Print.
Simon emphases the significance of knowing, and using proper English, as well as keeping it alive. He proposes ways to sharpen the brain, which will result in a greater sense of discipline and memory. Simon also notes that everything we do is done with words, therefore, English is viewed as an essential to everyday life. The accurate use of rhetorical devices in this article are just one of many examples on how good English can help a person on a day to day basis. Despite Simon’s knowledge of proper English, the remainder of Americans must train themselves so that they may also achieve correct usage of the English
In “Defending Against the Indefensible” by Neil Postman, he proposes a different way of viewing the English language. He says that our civilization is being manipulated by the ambiguity in English, and students are most easily affected by the school environment. Thus, he proposes seven key ideas that students should remember in order to avoid the dangers and loopholes that twist the original meaning of statements.
Syntax is a common literary device which is included in every form of writing, in the
George Orwell’s essay, Politics and the English Language, first published in 1946, talks about some “bad habits”, which have driven the English language in the wrong direction, that is, away from communicating ideas. In his essay he quotes five passages, each from a different author, which embody the faults he is talking about. He lists dying metaphors, operators, pretentious diction, and meaningless words as things to look out for in your own writing and the writing of others (593-595). He talks about political uses of the English language. Our language has become ugly and the ugliness impedes upon communication. Ugly uses of language have been reinforced and passed down in the population “even among people who should and do know better,” (598). Ugly language has been gaining ground in our population by a positive feedback mechanism.
In Johnson’s preface to A Dictionary of the English Language, Johnson argues the importance of preserving language. Other dialects had a produced their own dictionaries, such as the French and Italians. Various writers of the eighteenth century were alarmed at the fact that there was no standard for the English language, since there was no standard it could easily become extinct. Johnson explored many points, such as how and why languages change as well as how many words are formed.
When grammar is put to use in a society, people will often have different beliefs at what is the "right" or "proper" usage. This had led to the formation of two widely accepted forms of grammar, Prescriptivism and Descriptivism. These forms will often separate those who believe their form of grammar is the only correct way from those who use many forms they find to be acceptable. Descriptive grammar is formed by analyzing how speakers use a language, and deducing the rules they follow. Linguists create descriptive grammars in order to understand language more deeply. They understand that a single language can have multiple dialects, and that each dialect will have its own grammatical rules--internally
... Lawerence Scanlon and Robbin Dissin Aufses. The Composition of Language. Boston: Martin's/ St. Bedford, 2008. 324-335. Print.
Issue No. 1 -. 33, 32, and a. Vol. 1, No. 1 -. 1, 1973; no. 2, 1974. California State College, Sonoma, Dept. of Education. of the English language of the country. Roseman, Ellen.
Mann, Horace. "Report of the Massachusetts Board of Education." The Language of Composition. Boston; New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008. 248-251. Web. 10 Dec. 2013.
Syntax is the study of how words are combined to create phrases and causes in the sentences of a specific language (Freeman and Freeman, 2014). Syntax helps us to make clear sentences that “sound right,” where words, phrases, and clauses each serve their function and are correctly ordered to form and communicate a complete sentence with meaning. The rules of syntax combine words into phrases and phrases into sentences. Not only does it focus on the correct word order for a language, but it also helps show the relationship between the meaning of a group of words. Without proper syntax, a sentence can be meaningless. It is key to understand that while every language does have certain syntax, the syntax does vary from language to language. It