English Language

[gl556tr]

The standards of both general English literacy and English grammar are often poor, at times atrocious.

[4candles]

'Twas ever thus.

[Mamyalynne]

Flexible, vibrant and ever evolving.

[anneasquith]

Where ?

[ummmm]

Innit just...

[emmie]

why?

[AB Editor]

I agree, too many pedants who have no love of the language - only a fetish for the "rules". Rules which are, often, just wot they woz taught at school, and nothing to do with their understanding of our noble, rough language.

[anneasquith]

ED. Did you mean ruff ?

[AB Editor]

Anne, I don't know if you're sticking your neck out with that comment, or just doggedly correcting me ;)

[anneasquith]

LOL .

[murraymints]

EH ?

[vulcan42]

The last few postings would suggest having and obeying rules in the English language is essential. :o)

[woofgang]

so long as its understandable its fine by me....but there is a point to grammar and punctuation, eg “eats shoots and leaves” vs “eats, shoots, and leaves"

[emmie]

as long as its understandable, and not too many spelling mistakes, then don't see the problem.

[Baldric]

Some people will never understand it.

[Deskdiary]

By and large I agree that just so long as it is understandable I'm not too bothered - although misplaced punctuation, particularly commas, can lead to misunderstandings.

However, I'd by a liar if I didn't say things like the following (lifted from a thread in the Law section) don't get on my nerves!

"I dnt get holidays or sick pay if I'm of I dnt get paid I pay my own tax and insurance and when I start it was just her I ws look after but nw it's both of them and nw she wants nights done as well for the same money and it's not a slp shift plus I do the wages and all the paper wrk as she don't want to do it I do whts required of me and much more so I do the hours I chose to work I'm my own boss I'm nt employed"

[mikey4444]

While I am a supporter of the living and thriving view, its important that people should know the correct form of English in the first pace, in order to make any detours.

Far too much sloppy English is out and about these days.

[aelmpvw]

it's important :-)

[gl556tr]

M: That's it!
Only with a solid background of British English as a framework, can one begin to appreciate all our facets of culture - and discuss them concisely.

[kvalidir]

I like nice English, but it evolves, however you can still see where it came from, and it's a recent thing that there are rules about English previously it was all of a bit of a free for all, but still very understandable to us now. If it never altered we would all still be speaking like this.