Having done my various stints as editor, copy editor, proofreader, and all-around language geek, you'd think I'd qualify for this community. And, in fact, I just HAD to weigh in on one of the discussions there when I went looking from this link.
That being said: knowing what's "right" and jackbooting people who won't or can't do it that way are, to me, two quite different things. I'm also a heretic in that I perceive language as inevitably in flux, and that all the pressures of "getting it right" are simply to moderate the speed of change, not the fact of it -- and allow communication to continue over longer periods of time and between more people. I think efforts like the Academie Francaise's determination to keep French "pure" are both doomed and puerile, but then I also get an enormous charge out of the artifacts of history that litter the English language. Still, I expect professionally published material to adhere to copy-standards, and even casual signs that are horribly wrong make me jump out of my skin and foam at the mouth.
And *that* being said, I had the post from -- was it yesterday? -- about how completely fucked up English spelling is, in part because of its history, and how grovelingly grateful I am to have NOT had to learn it as a second language.
LOL! I SO love throwing deliberate mistakes out for people to jump on! I don't often go out of my way to push people's buttons, but it's so much fun to do.
(accidentally posted before I'd finished my post!)
I freely admit that my English usage is somewhat non-standard, I also freely admit that I have some minor problems with certain forms of punctuation. But hey, I'm a database programmer by profession, not an English major. But I do, at least, get the correct word out when I'm not screwing up words on porpoise. :-)
At some level, I think getting it "right" is something of a game for me. As a gamer yourself, surely you can understand that!! Particularly when it's a little bit of a moving target (i.e. the discussion at cranky_editors of BC/AD vs BCE/CE). Some 'rules' are Victorian artifacts unjustified by historical usage and some things are just plain judgement calls. Or judgment calls. ;) Personally, for me "gray" is a bit brownish and "grey" is more silvery. Oddly enough, having discussed just that distinction with some writer-friends last year, they were independently of the same opinion! But then, that's why publishing houses *must* have style sheets/books. (Fortunately or unfortunately, LJ has none.) :)
I'm not an English major either, Wayne, so that's not a legit slam. I am, however, a word professional. Or have been, at times. And whether on porpoise or not, yer English is jus' fine 'specially compared to (with) l33t or things far more incomprehensible.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2006-04-14 09:54 pm (UTC)That being said: knowing what's "right" and jackbooting people who won't or can't do it that way are, to me, two quite different things. I'm also a heretic in that I perceive language as inevitably in flux, and that all the pressures of "getting it right" are simply to moderate the speed of change, not the fact of it -- and allow communication to continue over longer periods of time and between more people. I think efforts like the Academie Francaise's determination to keep French "pure" are both doomed and puerile, but then I also get an enormous charge out of the artifacts of history that litter the English language. Still, I expect professionally published material to adhere to copy-standards, and even casual signs that are horribly wrong make me jump out of my skin and foam at the mouth.
And *that* being said, I had the post from -- was it yesterday? -- about how completely fucked up English spelling is, in part because of its history, and how grovelingly grateful I am to have NOT had to learn it as a second language.
Community
no subject
Date: 2006-04-14 11:03 pm (UTC)You do realize that you don't pluralize by adding an apostrophe, don't you?
/nazi
Seriously though, while I'm not a community member, I have known the Benevolent Cranky Moderator online for some years now and she's good people.
no subject
Date: 2006-04-14 11:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-04-15 02:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-04-15 02:29 am (UTC)I freely admit that my English usage is somewhat non-standard, I also freely admit that I have some minor problems with certain forms of punctuation. But hey, I'm a database programmer by profession, not an English major. But I do, at least, get the correct word out when I'm not screwing up words on porpoise. :-)
no subject
Date: 2006-04-15 02:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-04-15 04:28 pm (UTC)I'm not an English major either, Wayne, so that's not a legit slam. I am, however, a word professional. Or have been, at times. And whether on porpoise or not, yer English is jus' fine 'specially compared to (with) l33t or things far more incomprehensible.