AndyF
New member
Who actually defines what is "proper English", and what it right and wrong....?
It stems from an 18/19th century obsession with analysis and regularity. As the language evolved no middle ages bod sat down and though, "hmmm, I haven't got the right irregular verb for this job, best I define one", or , "you know, I think I'll create an new class of word called reflexive pronouns". It never happened. The language created and evolved through peoples usage of it.
The "rules" of grammer and punctuation were created by academics, and are of no relevence in day to day life, other than keeping English teachers in jobs. Tell me where in my life I actually need to know what a "disjunctive pronoun" is...!
The problem is that these rules have not changed in a hundred years, whereas the language has. It has been influenced by population migration, technology and simple natural evolution.
Try applying the "rules" to, say, Chaucer.....then tell me how he broke so many rules that he was writing sloppy English!
Of course he wasn't, he was using the "rules" of his day, which are not the same as the 19th century ones. Now extrapolate.....
The OED seem willing to accept new words into the language, why can't they accept new forms of grammer....?
It stems from an 18/19th century obsession with analysis and regularity. As the language evolved no middle ages bod sat down and though, "hmmm, I haven't got the right irregular verb for this job, best I define one", or , "you know, I think I'll create an new class of word called reflexive pronouns". It never happened. The language created and evolved through peoples usage of it.
The "rules" of grammer and punctuation were created by academics, and are of no relevence in day to day life, other than keeping English teachers in jobs. Tell me where in my life I actually need to know what a "disjunctive pronoun" is...!
The problem is that these rules have not changed in a hundred years, whereas the language has. It has been influenced by population migration, technology and simple natural evolution.
Try applying the "rules" to, say, Chaucer.....then tell me how he broke so many rules that he was writing sloppy English!
Of course he wasn't, he was using the "rules" of his day, which are not the same as the 19th century ones. Now extrapolate.....
The OED seem willing to accept new words into the language, why can't they accept new forms of grammer....?