Prescriptivism contest (Links & Internet Resources) Language Learning Forum

Prescriptivism contest
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12 messages over 2 pages: 1 2

montmorency
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Message 9 of 12

05 October 2012 at 8:27pm | IP Logged

I know they were technically correct, but I used to find the people who insisted on a plural verb for the noun "data" when used in a normal modern context, e.g. IT, rather tedious.

"The data were read into the computer", rather than "..the data was read in."

"Oh no, I've had a hard disk failure! My data is toast".

"Sorry to hear that dear, and by the way it's: 'My data are toast'".

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emk
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Message 10 of 12

05 October 2012 at 9:43pm | IP Logged

Iversen wrote:

Even non native users of the English language should be able to see that the 'advice' quoted by Ari is fundamentally rotten, but it still leaves the question: can a language (and in particular an orthography) stay somewhat predictable and learnable if everything is equally axcceptable? Or in other words: can it remain one language if nobody is suppressed?

Well, I can think of several ways to establish a linguistic standard:

1. Make up strange rules based on pet peeves or your personal idiolect.
2. Derive your rules from a large corpus of well-respected writing in a prestigious dialect.
3. Appoint an academy to make changes by fiat.

Obviously, option (1) is very popular in the English-speaking world. But option (2) actually seems pretty sane: it's conservative enough to provide some stability, but it still allows gradual change.

Of course, you may get some weird situations. In the case of Latin and Middle Egyptian, the prestige dialect lingered for a thousand years or more after it was actually spoken. And when you establish new centers of political, military or cultural power, things can change quickly.

Oh, and here's another fake rule from the comment thread:

Quote:

In dialog, the contraction of have by uneducated speakers should be represented with "of" and that of educated speakers "'ve," because we know that is what they are thinking.

"I wish I would of gone," the oaf said glumly.

"Had you gone," replied the pedant, "you should've gone more cheerily."

The use of a uniform "of" or "'ve" by copy editors fails to preserve the author's careful distinction of relative literacy and thus hides its social significance.

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montmorency
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Message 11 of 12

05 October 2012 at 10:53pm | IP Logged

One of my favourite bits of one of my favourite books:

I'll learn 'em!

Quote:

        The Toad, having finished his breakfast, picked up a stout stick and swung it vigorously, belaboring imaginary animals. "I'll learn 'em to steal my house!" he cried. "I'll learn 'em, I'll learn 'em!"

        "Don't say 'learn' em,' Toad," said the Rat, greatly shocked. "It's not good English."

        "What are you always nagging at Toad for?" inquired the Badger rather peevishly. "What's the matter with his English? It's the same what I use myself, and if it's good enough for me, it ought to be good enough for you!"

        "I'm very sorry," said the Rat humbly, " Only I think it ought to be 'teach 'em,' not 'learn 'em.'"

        "But we don't want to teach 'em," replied the Badger. "We want to learn 'em - learn 'em, learn 'em! And what's more, we're going to do it, too!"

        "Oh, very well, have it your own way," said the Rat. He was getting rather muddled about it himself, and presently he retired into a corner, where he could be heard muttering "Learn 'em, teach 'em, teach 'em, learn em!" till the Badger told him rather sharply to leave off. (Grahame 221-22)

Edited by montmorency on 05 October 2012 at 10:54pm
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patuco
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Message 12 of 12

06 October 2012 at 1:06am | IP Logged

montmorency wrote:

I know they were technically correct, but I used to find the people who insisted on a plural verb for the noun "data" when used in a normal modern context, e.g. IT, rather tedious.

That's what the exam papers in the GCSE specifications I teach insist upon. I can't get my head around "it"...or is it "them"? ;)

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