Comments on: National Grammar Day–March forth on March 4th! http://cherylnorman.com/blog/2008/03/04/national-grammar-day-march-forth-on-march-4th/ Postings regarding those burning questions about grammar. Sat, 06 Sep 2008 19:15:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Cheryl Norman http://cherylnorman.com/blog/2008/03/04/national-grammar-day-march-forth-on-march-4th/#comment-4356 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:25:11 +0000 http://cherylnorman.com/blog/2008/03/04/national-grammar-day-march-forth-on-march-4th/#comment-4356 Proper English historically identified the upper crust, so I see your professor's point. I catch myself saying, "my bad." Of course, that's incorrect modern slang for "I did something wrong." I often speak worse than I write. Thanks for weighing in, and visit again, Danielle. Proper English historically identified the upper crust, so I see your professor’s point. I catch myself saying, “my bad.” Of course, that’s incorrect modern slang for “I did something wrong.” I often speak worse than I write.

Thanks for weighing in, and visit again, Danielle.

]]> by: Danielle M http://cherylnorman.com/blog/2008/03/04/national-grammar-day-march-forth-on-march-4th/#comment-4354 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 20:09:44 +0000 http://cherylnorman.com/blog/2008/03/04/national-grammar-day-march-forth-on-march-4th/#comment-4354 Not only is the “better” sentence the most academic English form, but it also seems to have a whole different meaning than the “bad” sentence. In my grammar class, my professor is constantly harping on the way grammar has a way of distinguishing classes and different types of people. The “bad” sentence seems more of a valley girl statement, one where “seriously” is used to add emphasis. I would expect someone to say, “like” before such a sentence. But the “better” sentence speaks of the tone of the conversation the speaker wishes to have. I wonder if such mistakes as infinitives should be corrected in the classroom when a teacher hears them. Is this more of a dialect mistake? The same professor I mentioned a bit ago also explains that educators should never simply say, “What you said is bad” but instead explain to the student that there is a more academic way to state what they said. Danielle McGuire Not only is the “better” sentence the most academic English form, but it also seems to have a whole different meaning than the “bad” sentence. In my grammar class, my professor is constantly harping on the way grammar has a way of distinguishing classes and different types of people. The “bad” sentence seems more of a valley girl statement, one where “seriously” is used to add emphasis. I would expect someone to say, “like” before such a sentence. But the “better” sentence speaks of the tone of the conversation the speaker wishes to have.

I wonder if such mistakes as infinitives should be corrected in the classroom when a teacher hears them. Is this more of a dialect mistake? The same professor I mentioned a bit ago also explains that educators should never simply say, “What you said is bad” but instead explain to the student that there is a more academic way to state what they said.

Danielle McGuire

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