Speak with the Queens tongue DAMMIT!

At the risk of sounding pedantic, I would offer up a gentle reminder that the purpose of syntax and the myriad of related rules and regulations is not intended to stifle creativity, communication, or any of the delightfully whimsical flights of verbal invention that pass for “dialogue” these days. The rules of syntax exist to enhance and clarify communication – verbal or written. The problem with sweeping away all the rules in an effort to remove the restraints of creativity is that without structure we have ignorance and chaos in our grammar.

Case point… Ira.

You may have forgotten what happened to the literacy and numerate skills of high school in this country when the rules were removed in favour of creativity and in an effort to avoid harming the fragile egos of our nation’s students. The result of all this ego-friendly, non-restrictive creativity is that colleges and universities are having to roll out large and expensive remedial writing and math programs in order to bring high school graduates up to some sort of minimal standard that will enable then to at least begin to comprehend and engage their various curricula. The current trend in education and general language use takes away from what normally smart people the ability to experience the pleasure of crafting a graceful sentence, which I think borders on the criminal. This trend you are following is years below your age which might suggest how ludicrous you truly are.

I think you delight in following trends as you can't seem to be creative within yourself. I suggest that you disentangle all the mediocre ascendancy and see how ridiculous your verbal skills doubtlessly are.

Teresa.