Barber College » Another post about grammar (but not Ebonics)

Another post about grammar (but not Ebonics)

Filed under: writing, blog feuds — A. at 10:17 pm on Monday, July 16, 2007

the more you knowI’m not sure we should let this person continue to give language warriors a bad name without a bit of a fight.

Oh, Grammar Vandal. This is difficult for me to say. I know you think you are doing God’s work, but I think you’d be a happier person if you left the sanctimonious, prescriptivist fervor to the religious right and got a job as an editor, which job would allow you to use your powers for good.

In other words: Settle down, grasshopper. You have much to learn. Relax, have an iced tea, and consider these important facts:

1) Botched “sentences” are entertaining. RUN EASY BOSTON? That’s hilarious! Why are you trying to deprive me of that sign?

2) Some rules of grammar are stupid. Tell me, do you honestly give half a shit whether I split an infinitive with an adverb? If you answered, “Yes,” you revealed your allegiance to a pointless, archaic rule artificially imposed on English by Latin-worshipping dead guys who thought it would make them sound smarter. They’re dead now. Do you see where I’m going with this?

3) By harping on strict adherence to the rules, you hurt the cause. It’s nice when people use apostrophes well and funny when they don’t, but honey, we’ve got bigger fish to fry.

4) Nobody likes a smartass.

2 Comments »

545

Comment by scott

July 17, 2007 @ 3:47 pm

You had me right up to the end.

546

Comment by J-Ho

July 17, 2007 @ 4:46 pm

I love smartasses. The problem with this chick is there’s too little smart and too much ass. Sure, she has impeccable grammar, but who the fuck cares when she has nothing interesting to say? She’s a writer with permanent training wheels. She doesn’t even have a sense of humor about what she does! If she did, that might be her saving grace, but as it is, she’s just an annoying little snot. I can’t think of a more boring hobby than relentlessly criticizing poorly written signs, especially when the signs mean well. I’d rather watch the paint dry on the poorly written signs. Maybe she should do something more meaningful so that someday she could write her own goddamn signs. If E.B. White were still alive, I’m pretty sure he would track her down and slap her in the mouth.

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