The death of proper grammar (sentence, tense, paragraph, quote)
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... yet we've had a president and V-P hopeful who obviously struggle with the language and sometimes have trouble forming coherent thoughts.
And now we have a president that can form perfectly coherent thoughts, but where does that get us? I guess I am one of the many that Gibbs would label as a "professional lefty."
The other day I read in a magazine article: Who would have thunk...
I admit it can be heard ( ), but written in a serious article... (no, it was not a quote or something! It was a real statement made by the author of the article)
The other day I read in a magazine article: Who would have thunk...
I admit it can be heard ( ), but written in a serious article... (no, it was not a quote or something! It was a real statement made by the author of the article)
I think you're still ahead of the game. At least they didn't write "would of."
Seen in newspapers and magazines everywhere: "The couple are moving to..." instead of "is" moving to. Yes, we know that "couple" means two people but the word itself is singular.
I'm told by reliable sources that grammar is no longer taught - even in grammar school, ironically. They teach self-appreciation, and they teach art, and they teach computer skills. But schools apparently assume that students will somehow absorb grammar by osmosis.
Poor writing isn't corrected, criticized or even mentioned because it would make little Johnnie feel bad. Johnnie can't read, cannot comprehend and certainly cannot write. Years down the road, we'll all wonder why Johnnie rammed the commuter train into the station at high speed, despite clearly written company instructions ...
Bingo.
Also, I believe spelling is no longer taught in public schools. Or if it is, there is little emphasis on it. My husband is perhaps one of the worst spellers I have ever come across. And he went to a top rated public school in his area I'm not sure what they taught.
Perhaps grammar is just something people grasp or do not grasp. In most schools now, they do not allow the use of red pens to circle mistakes. Afterall, that will cause these children to have low self-esteem as adults and not feel good about themselves.
Seen in newspapers and magazines everywhere: "The couple are moving to..." instead of "is" moving to. Yes, we know that "couple" means two people but the word itself is singular.
Could be British usage. Words meaning "more than one person" are often followed by a plural
I must say I never heard that with the word "couple", though, but usually with words meaning bigger groups (police, staff, crew etc).
What a long, ongoing post! I dig it! I manage troubleshooting methods & procedures for an IT Helpdesk, within a very large company. Our main form of daily communications is a virtual chat room, since a good portion of the team is spread around the country. I'm appalled, each day, at the illiteracy I witness in that chat room. What people don't understand, is that in the modern, virtual, corporate world, written communication is often their only communication. If that is delivered poorly, they are simply failing themselves and others. As many companies are becoming more virtual, regarding daily operations, there is no longer the ability to use oral language or body language, which both account for a greater percentage of effective communications. So, with the influx of a less literate work force, that seems to spell doom for the future of many businesses.
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), but written in a serious article... (no, it was not a quote or something! It was a real statement made by the author of the article)
I'm not sure what they taught. 
and not feel good about themselves.
