How important is grammar?
Posted on Dec 22, 2009 10:49:30 PM
I now that sounds like a silly question, but I’m asking in all seriousness.
How important is grammar?
I write better than I speak (which should scare some of you, especially if you read much of my writing). I often tell stories using the same slang in my writing that I use in my speech, usually when it fits the story I am telling.
I do now better.
The whole issue comes to light because one of my cousins has an old video that I made and he said that he could hear me talking on the video. And, what he said to me was this…
“you sound like such a hick in this, you are not going to lie it”
I laughed and I can hardly wait to see and hear this. But, today, my mom started to tell me about this video recording…and her version of the story goes like this….(he in this quote is the cousin above)
“he asked me if I knew how you try to talk like you are not from the country…”
I yelled, “Whut?”
In my best redneck slang. Honestly, I know that when I was younger, I was highly criticized for my slang. When I was in college, most of my instructors were really hard on me. Again, I honestly do try to write better than I speak unless it is part of my story, but my speech is really redneck’ish.
So, I asked my mom if she thought I did this. She confirmed that she thought that I do this. I thought I had left that behind me. I thought I was making an honest effort to embrace my southern charm.
Apparently not.
I asked my husband if he thought that, he has lived in Turkey, was a soldier in the Persian Gulf. And, he has lived in Boston and even been a tourist in Germany. He grew up in Louisiana so I thought surely he would confirm that I did no such acting when it came to my speech.
But, he didn’t. I an online person or two, both southerners and they confirmed, I am full-blooded hick.
So, where in the world did someone get the idea that I “pretend” to be anything or anyone that I am not?
Comments
Well, grammar is really important. For one, it is a way of communicating ‘better’ with others. Also, it is a way of expressing yourself in a manner in which you can avoid being misunderstood. Finally, there are also some instances wherein good grammar can be a way of helping others.;-)