To Be or Not to Be: Proper
Webster’s dictionary is a tool for survival. How else would one know how to spell autochthonous? Language was invented because communication is vital to our survival. Society could not have developed without a means for its inhabitants to properly communicate with one another. However, there is a battle among the “proper” and the “improper” better known as the Prescriptives and the Descriptives. One group who cringes at the thought of the improper use of the English language while the other thrives on embracing the evolution of words. As the battle rages on one must ask themselves is it a battle worth fighting? Is proper use of the English language all that important? While some may disagree, I would argue that proper …show more content…
They are the ones who follow traditional grammar rules and who cringed when they hear someone use a word improperly (Bureman). They want the English language to be used how we are supposed to use it. The Descriptivist are more liberal. Having taken over in the 1970’s they are more concerned with how we are currently using the language. They believe it should be reflective of the changing times. After all, how silly would it be if we walked around saying things such as thou, hath, and shalt. Most political movements are framed around the Descriptive belief, “that traditional English is conceived and perpetuated by privileged WASP males and is thus inherently capitalist, sexist, racist, xenophobic, elitist: unfair” (81). Concerning this debate, I would have to say that I fall somewhere in the middle. When texting or messaging on Facebook, proper grammar is the furthest thing from my mind. However, if I have to write an academic paper I would choose to lean more towards the prescriptive style. What it comes down to is the context of the situation one is in. I do not advocate for throwing away the structure and standards of the English language, however proper grammar is not necessary in certain social situations. It is not necessary while texting a friend, but it is necessary when writing your …show more content…
The show would not have been a hit if we had seven men and women speaking in proper English while they sipped tea. Language usage depends on the type of social situation a person is in. If you are on a reality show where you party every night, you would likely use language that falls more in line with the descriptives.
However, the improper use of the English language can hurt a business. If a business hires an employee who does not use proper grammar skills and their job is either greeting customers or communicating through written correspondence and they do not know the difference between, “they’re, their, and there” or “your and you’re” then it would reflect badly on the business. The business may be perceived as incompetent, sloppy and the employees would be perceived as unintelligent. It is safe to say not one of the cast members of The Jersey Shore would be hired for a business I was running.
Proper use of the English language is important in many situations and I am likely to side with the Prescriptivists in academic situations and the Descriptivist in certain social situations, such as speaking with my
Webster’s dictionary is a tool for survival. How else would one know how to spell autochthonous? Language was invented because communication is vital to our survival. Society could not have developed without a means for its inhabitants to properly communicate with one another. However, there is a battle among the “proper” and the “improper” better known as the Prescriptives and the Descriptives. One group who cringes at the thought of the improper use of the English language while the other thrives on embracing the evolution of words. As the battle rages on one must ask themselves is it a battle worth fighting? Is proper use of the English language all that important? While some may disagree, I would argue that proper …show more content…
They are the ones who follow traditional grammar rules and who cringed when they hear someone use a word improperly (Bureman). They want the English language to be used how we are supposed to use it. The Descriptivist are more liberal. Having taken over in the 1970’s they are more concerned with how we are currently using the language. They believe it should be reflective of the changing times. After all, how silly would it be if we walked around saying things such as thou, hath, and shalt. Most political movements are framed around the Descriptive belief, “that traditional English is conceived and perpetuated by privileged WASP males and is thus inherently capitalist, sexist, racist, xenophobic, elitist: unfair” (81). Concerning this debate, I would have to say that I fall somewhere in the middle. When texting or messaging on Facebook, proper grammar is the furthest thing from my mind. However, if I have to write an academic paper I would choose to lean more towards the prescriptive style. What it comes down to is the context of the situation one is in. I do not advocate for throwing away the structure and standards of the English language, however proper grammar is not necessary in certain social situations. It is not necessary while texting a friend, but it is necessary when writing your …show more content…
The show would not have been a hit if we had seven men and women speaking in proper English while they sipped tea. Language usage depends on the type of social situation a person is in. If you are on a reality show where you party every night, you would likely use language that falls more in line with the descriptives.
However, the improper use of the English language can hurt a business. If a business hires an employee who does not use proper grammar skills and their job is either greeting customers or communicating through written correspondence and they do not know the difference between, “they’re, their, and there” or “your and you’re” then it would reflect badly on the business. The business may be perceived as incompetent, sloppy and the employees would be perceived as unintelligent. It is safe to say not one of the cast members of The Jersey Shore would be hired for a business I was running.
Proper use of the English language is important in many situations and I am likely to side with the Prescriptivists in academic situations and the Descriptivist in certain social situations, such as speaking with my