VHunter
Well-Known Member
How ironic that upon opening the local High School newspaper, that I should fall upon this article (as read in the subject title of this thread). I have reproduced bits and pieces of it for you below.
PLEASE keep in mind as you read it, that it was written by a HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT and not by an adult.
Editorial / Corrupt communication: the downfall of English
Thier are alot of people that make so much mistakes in they're writing its really hard too read. Lucky the vision editers dont let us rite like that or you mite never understand what we tryed to say about stuff.
Granted, the above is an exaggeration - a combination of poor spelling, non-existent punctuation, and incorrect but commonly used terms (such as the popular "alot") that would have the likes of Wordsworth and Poe spinning in their graves. Howqever, it does not stray far from the reality faced by the English-speaking community today: people both young and old are no longer expected to master their language. Those who do attempt to conform to traditional rules regarding grammar and spelling are labelled with such derogatory terms as "Grammar Police". It is as if wanting to speak and write correctly is some sort of shortcoming. Worst of all, young people are not the only guilty parties when it comes to the massacre of the English language. Adults are just as responsible, and it shows.
[She then goes on to discuss current teaching trends in schools, government produced curriculums, and language issues within our province. I've removed that portion.]
At school and in the workplace, any above-average use of the English language garners confused looks and necessitates a divergence from more important topics in order to explain a word or expression as the average vocabulary shrinks and shrinks. Some new parents, who were themselves allowed to venture out into the world with only a basic understanding of language, are not interested in reading with their children, preferring to set them in front of the television or computer instead, and the cycle begins again.
Of course, no one expects the general population to remember what a gerund is, or to know when to properly use an interrobang. it is a given that not everyone aspires to major in English, and it is clear that we will not soon return to the time of Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters, when long disussions were held on the subject of the proper use of language. This is to be expect - not everyone is fascinate by the minute details of English, and that is perfectly fine. However, the lack of interest in even the most basic rules of our language has reached a level of deterioration that is truly alarming. Whatever the causes, whoever the culprits, English is slowly descending from the refined language of the great poets to a sort of jumbled gibberish.
[She then continues with fun suggestions of how to improve your own grasp of the English language].
NOW isn't that an interesting perspective? Please remember, the author is a HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT...
What are your thoughts?
PLEASE keep in mind as you read it, that it was written by a HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT and not by an adult.
Editorial / Corrupt communication: the downfall of English
Thier are alot of people that make so much mistakes in they're writing its really hard too read. Lucky the vision editers dont let us rite like that or you mite never understand what we tryed to say about stuff.
Granted, the above is an exaggeration - a combination of poor spelling, non-existent punctuation, and incorrect but commonly used terms (such as the popular "alot") that would have the likes of Wordsworth and Poe spinning in their graves. Howqever, it does not stray far from the reality faced by the English-speaking community today: people both young and old are no longer expected to master their language. Those who do attempt to conform to traditional rules regarding grammar and spelling are labelled with such derogatory terms as "Grammar Police". It is as if wanting to speak and write correctly is some sort of shortcoming. Worst of all, young people are not the only guilty parties when it comes to the massacre of the English language. Adults are just as responsible, and it shows.
[She then goes on to discuss current teaching trends in schools, government produced curriculums, and language issues within our province. I've removed that portion.]
At school and in the workplace, any above-average use of the English language garners confused looks and necessitates a divergence from more important topics in order to explain a word or expression as the average vocabulary shrinks and shrinks. Some new parents, who were themselves allowed to venture out into the world with only a basic understanding of language, are not interested in reading with their children, preferring to set them in front of the television or computer instead, and the cycle begins again.
Of course, no one expects the general population to remember what a gerund is, or to know when to properly use an interrobang. it is a given that not everyone aspires to major in English, and it is clear that we will not soon return to the time of Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters, when long disussions were held on the subject of the proper use of language. This is to be expect - not everyone is fascinate by the minute details of English, and that is perfectly fine. However, the lack of interest in even the most basic rules of our language has reached a level of deterioration that is truly alarming. Whatever the causes, whoever the culprits, English is slowly descending from the refined language of the great poets to a sort of jumbled gibberish.
[She then continues with fun suggestions of how to improve your own grasp of the English language].
NOW isn't that an interesting perspective? Please remember, the author is a HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT...
What are your thoughts?
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