Community Chat

[ROMARY]

I do believe that our English language is in the process of evolving into a more abbreviated form. (Because of texting, and the fast way folks are saying and doing things.) Not saying that I'm overly happy about it.

[wildcat fan]

This sort of sounds like Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird when she ponders about when she learned to read. I credit Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers for some of my abilities, as well as some great elementary/middle school spelling books. When I started teaching middle school, I asked where the spelling and grammar books were. They laughed at me because those aren't considered good practice anymore.

[Lila Belle]

I dunno, moonchilde. We survived when people used an X as their signature.

The most important thing is to communicate in whatever mode is understood by the masses.

[Justina rae]

Consider how language has evolved from 15th century Middle English:

Prologue of Canterbury Tales

Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote

The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,

And bathed every veyne in swich licour

Of which vertu engendred is the flour.

We had to recite the prologue in high school English class. If we didn't recite it correctly, we failed.

[ROMARY]

Justina: I don't know how I passed those classes in middle (or whatever) school. I was totally frustrated and couldn't figure out the story, the plot, etc. My gosh, I'll probably have frustrating dreams tonight.

[Moonchilde]

On 2/13/2015 Lila Belle said:

I dunno, moonchilde. We survived when people used an X as their signature.

The most important thing is to communicate in whatever mode is understood by the masses.

Yes. That was my point.

[september]

I understand what you're saying, Annabelle. I do have to disagree that most of today's younger people have poor grammar skills, compared to when we were kids.

We had no way of judging them back then, because their writings weren't posted publicly...as in on the internet.

I'll bet there were the same number of people 30 years ago, who didn't know the difference between "see and sea" or "break and brake".

They just flew under the radar.

[persiflage]

Remember when everyone learned Latin? We keep evolving.

[Catsy Cline]

back on the fibro drugs

[VanSleepy]

No, I haven't wondered how I know what I know. Since you seem to be talking about grammar, though, I do wonder how so much "incorrectness" has become the norm.