Monday, April 9, 2018

MONDAY DIARY: ALMOST EXCRUCIATINGLY TRUE STORIES: WHY PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO TALK TO ME

I know it may seem a trivial thing and there are those who would vehemently disagree with me but this drives me nuts.
I try to get our school kids not to reply to this question in this way.
I tell them, "That will get you a job one day!  Mark my words."  It means that you care about the English language just a wee bit more than perhaps someone else does.  It means that you are precise in what it is you are trying to express.  It may mean a deeper appreciation of English grammar in general, which will reflect positively on your place of employment.
It is extremely important when you are speaking on behalf of the Church.  Words mean very specific things in everything from ethics to rubrics.  One careless word can throw things into a tailspin.
That doesn't mean it isn't just plain annoying.

5 comments:

Louis said...

HA!
What gets me is subjective/nominative vs. objective case and 3rd person, 2nd person, 1st person word order along with the whole adverbs vs. adjectives.
When I hear a student say, "Me and John went to the movies..." I want to tell them they're not allowed to say they go to school at St. So-'n-so until they learn how to speak.

Pat said...

How well is grammar taught these days?

Learning a foreign language requires an understanding of general grammatical principles--for one's native language and for the language being learned. Some people say that they learn their OWN language better while studying a foreign language.

Stephen said...

Dear Father,

For years, people had said to me that you are from another time and another planet. I have always defended you. Now, I am not so sure.

Your sister says that she is from heaven and that you are from Mars.
Can not argue with that.

Anonymous said...

CONCERNING! No longer do we say that something is "of concern"; instead, it is "concerning": e.g. The patient has a high fever and shaking chills. This development is CONCERNING!

LITERALLY! "Literally this", and "literally that", especially when "figuratively" would be more apt, e.g. "I am LITERALLY on Cloud Nine." Fair enough, I will get out my binoculars and wave howdy-do as you float past on number nine in the sky.

ISSUES! Break out the Kleenex tissues, for I have lots of "ISSUES". Gesundheit!

Pat said...

I have a problem with "issues." No one has any problems anymore except me.