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I sure would love to have some examples of grammar rules that have softened in your lifetime--and examples of applications. I'm trying to give my students a sense of the language being in flux--that what holds true today may be very different in the future. Perhaps 'grammar' is a bit too restrictive here because I'd like to cross into vocabulary applications as well.
Here's an example:
Splitting the infinitive was about as hard as splitting the atom when I was going through school. We simply weren't allowed to back in the 60s. Things changed--and now we can split the infinitive in even formal writing when the sentence flows more naturally by doing so. Example: I want to consciously observe when my little finger assumes incorrect position on the keyboard.
If you can even write a sentence that's a bit better than the one I used for splitting the infinitive, thanks.
Another rule I learned that's pretty much consistently broken these days--at least in the world of advertisement-- is the distinction between healthful and healthy.
Thanks for any input.
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One thing that has changed since my day of being taught grammar rules is the recognition of the phrasal verb. Way back when the preposition was not permitted at the end of a sentence. Now, grammarians are recognizing that that thing that looks like a preposition isn't always one. This is not so much a change of the grammar is she is used as it is a recognition of something that has been going on all along.
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I'm afraid that a lot of adverbs are on their way out. I'll wager that 90% of schoolkids in the U.S. wouldn't think anything was wrong if they heard, "I did good on my report card", or, "I didn't do too bad on my report card".
I also think that 'of' may replace 'have', when used with could, would, and should.
But you asked what has changed. Well, over-all, we've become a lot less formal, and in other things than language as well. How many letters today start with Dear Sir or Madam, or are signed, Very Truly Yours?
One thing your kids may be able to relate to is the "shorthand" that has developed with the use of pagers, or Leetspeak, I believe a previous thread called it. And don't forget words and phrases that have entered our language from movies; I'd be interested to know how many of your students recognize Here's lookin' at you, kid; whereas you and I couldn't have recognized Make my day.
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Something you could do, Wordwind, is get copies of 19th century or early 20th century books on grammar and usage (some are on the internet), and see how much of their advice is still current. Also, I think the latest edition of Fowler's (edited by Burchfield, I believe) does have discussions on how usage has changed on some points.
Bingley
Bingley
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Well, there's "me and my brother" instead of "my brother and I." Of course "...and I" is grammatically correct, but now it's beginning to sound so rigid, archaic, and uncomfortable (at least in these waters), that "me and..." actually sounds "right." I almost feel silly when I use the "...and I" form, even in writing, anymore. But I know from previous discussions on this board that the "...and I" is still in common usage in, at least, some areas of the British Isles, and Upunder.
Or, "my brother and me."
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Which brings up the notion of the singular they. Hardly new, having been used since, what is it, tsuwm, the 17th century? But certainly much in the news lately. And that's not even counting the habit of starting sentences with conjunctions. Thumb through your AHD and read the Usage Notes.
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Good suggestions here, and thanks.
The kind of thing that I'm looking for--and your suggestions will send me searching this weekend--are for rules that were rigid for formal writing that have categorically changed, such as the split infinitive and the use of the preposition at the end of certain sentences to which Faldage refers.
The incorrect usage of the pronoun "I" gives me shivers up my spine. It's almost at the point now that when I correctly use "me", to some ears it's as though I had erred--but I hadn't. "Before leaving class, make sure you give your papers to Mrs. Edwards and me." Soooo many people in that sentence would have said "...to Mrs. Edwards and I." No joke. We've discussed the problem here on AWAD some time ago. I've found myself sliding into that construction incorrect "whosit and I" objective construction incorrectly on occasion--and I immediately correct myself.
But funny things happen in class. I thought a group of freshmen were going to mutiny day before yesterday when I suggested that the word 'swimming' could be a noun. They scowled and complained and said I was wrong and how could simming, which everybody knows is a verb, be a noun??? Those kids were really upset with me. After they finished being upset, I acknowledged the verbitude (!) of swimming, but showed them how it mysteriously became a noun in certain constructions. My kids don't trust me yet. It's somehow interesting to realize that I'm being examined with great suspicion.
Again, thanks for the suggestions.
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They scowled and complained and said I was wrong That is a very good thing; it means they actually already know some things, and therefore you don't have to go back to the very beginning!
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my spelling is horrid, my typos, and use of ellipis.. (or rather a sort of ellipis to indicate an incompete thought!) my tendency when excite to leave out words, all are legendary.
but somehow the hard wiring of grammer came to me intact!
the onliest word i can think of is ain't-- a word frequently used, correctly!, in my spoken idiolect. It is not the long that it has been in the dustbin, a scant 200 years or so. (our founding fathers might well have used the word!)
and unlike the school yard chant,
Ain't ain't in the dictionary,
so I ain't going to use ain't no more!
Ain't is in most dictionaries!
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>the hard wiring of grammer
Is grammar hard-wired, but? It seems unlikely to me, given that grammar differences from language to language. I am, btw, 100% with you on the invaluable ain't - especially since I know how much it appeals to our Louahvull ayleur.
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