Comments on: Nonstandard Usage Detracts from Novel http://www.dailywritingtips.com/nonstandard-usage-detracts-from-novel/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:00:10 -0600 hourly 1 By: Stephen Thorn http://www.dailywritingtips.com/nonstandard-usage-detracts-from-novel/comment-page-1/#comment-164126 Stephen Thorn Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:06:05 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=485#comment-164126 My dear Meave, you (like I) are a narrow-minded, racially-stunted, anal-retentive ol' poop. (insert immense grin here) You aren't a fan of ebonics, I'd bet. Insisting that authors, writers, students, and graffiti artists follow the established rules of grammar, spelling, context, and proper word selection is a draconian policy intended to keep "da po n disenfranchised slaves in da ghetto". (I hope my sarcasm is sufficient here to indicate my true feelings in the matter.) After all, if some oh-so-intelligent college professor writes in his book that "I've got a celery stalk stuck sideways up my nostril" is an acceptable way to convey "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times," who are WE, uneducated, unenlightened, ignorant peons that we are, to disagree? My dear Meave, you (like I) are a narrow-minded, racially-stunted, anal-retentive ol’ poop. (insert immense grin here) You aren’t a fan of ebonics, I’d bet. Insisting that authors, writers, students, and graffiti artists follow the established rules of grammar, spelling, context, and proper word selection is a draconian policy intended to keep “da po n disenfranchised slaves in da ghetto”. (I hope my sarcasm is sufficient here to indicate my true feelings in the matter.) After all, if some oh-so-intelligent college professor writes in his book that “I’ve got a celery stalk stuck sideways up my nostril” is an acceptable way to convey “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times,” who are WE, uneducated, unenlightened, ignorant peons that we are, to disagree?

]]> By: Jim Carroll http://www.dailywritingtips.com/nonstandard-usage-detracts-from-novel/comment-page-1/#comment-24274 Jim Carroll Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:35:25 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=485#comment-24274 Keep fighting the good fight. It seems currently fashionable to ignore errors in spelling and grammar in informal communication, to eschew the "spelling flame" in Internet communications, and this is understandable, I suppose. However, people who make their living with words shouldn't misuse them. How would one regard a carpenter who drove nails with his combination square? I tire of reading my local newspaper and gagging on accounts of people "honing in on" the cause of some problem, and of two disparate things being "one in the same". Wordsmiths should know better. I write to editors all the time about the misuse of "affect" and "effect". I always suggest that, if they're in doubt as to which to use as a verb and which to use as a noun, to substitute the word "impact" as either verb or noun to carry approximately the proper meaning. I know that the noun "affect" has a special meaning in psychology, but if someone is writing about that use, they had better know what they're talking about. So -- press on. I hope your writing reaches more eyes than mine does. We need a spokesman such as yourself in the defense of our language. Keep fighting the good fight. It seems currently fashionable to ignore errors in spelling and grammar in informal communication, to eschew the “spelling flame” in Internet communications, and this is understandable, I suppose. However, people who make their living with words shouldn’t misuse them. How would one regard a carpenter who drove nails with his combination square?

I tire of reading my local newspaper and gagging on accounts of people “honing in on” the cause of some problem, and of two disparate things being “one in the same”. Wordsmiths should know better. I write to editors all the time about the misuse of “affect” and “effect”. I always suggest that, if they’re in doubt as to which to use as a verb and which to use as a noun, to substitute the word “impact” as either verb or noun to carry approximately the proper meaning. I know that the noun “affect” has a special meaning in psychology, but if someone is writing about that use, they had better know what they’re talking about.

So — press on. I hope your writing reaches more eyes than mine does. We need a spokesman such as yourself in the defense of our language.

]]> By: Wisdom http://www.dailywritingtips.com/nonstandard-usage-detracts-from-novel/comment-page-1/#comment-24254 Wisdom Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:42:41 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=485#comment-24254 I must say, i have been quite impressed by the comments, they were themselves very educative and I could not help but say kudos to all contributors. I must say, i have been quite impressed by the comments, they were themselves very educative and I could not help but say kudos to all contributors.

]]> By: Rich http://www.dailywritingtips.com/nonstandard-usage-detracts-from-novel/comment-page-1/#comment-24148 Rich Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:38:12 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=485#comment-24148 RE: "The gig is up," thought Lucy. Maybe, just maybe, Lucy is a female musician and the crowds just aren't showing up at the Holiday Inn as expected. RE: “The gig is up,” thought Lucy. Maybe, just maybe, Lucy is a female musician and the crowds just aren’t showing up at the Holiday Inn as expected.

]]> By: June 2008 Most Popular Articles http://www.dailywritingtips.com/nonstandard-usage-detracts-from-novel/comment-page-1/#comment-24106 June 2008 Most Popular Articles Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:37:18 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=485#comment-24106 [...] Nonstandard Usage Detracts from Novel: The English language can certainly be said to be in flux when college professors write such stuff as… [...] [...] Nonstandard Usage Detracts from Novel: The English language can certainly be said to be in flux when college professors write such stuff as… [...]

]]>