I'm happy that media outlets are discussing language in ways that are not utterly false, but this sort of thing should be very common knowledge (and it could be with a modicum of k-12 instruction). Words are not immutable shadows of platonic ideals. In fact, the notion 'word' doesn't really have any good fit in contemporary linguistic theory. "An orange" use to be (roughly speaking) "a norange" (look at Spanish naranja).
But language change over time is not the result in errors in the sense that there is a one true version of the language. Rather, children subconsciously acquire (via innate guidelines and messy input) a system that resembles that of their surroundings to a sufficient degree that they can get by.
As someone whose job it is to ensure grammatical propriety, this is an unnerving read.
You realize, of course, that the above is an ungrammatical sentence. As written, the initial phrase modifies "this". Not unlike "walking down the hill, the bicycle hit the boy".
How about "As someone whose job..., I find this an unnerving read".
@3 What do you mean by ungrammatical? That sentence sounds fine to me. The article was concerned with static and arbitrary notions, but with the fact that parochial facts about language (like the fossilized 'error' you seem to be referring to) are subject to change
correcting this: As someone whose job it is to ensure grammatical propriety, this is an unnerving read.
to this: As someone whose job it is to ensure grammatical propriety, I find this an unnerving read.
is the same as pronouncing the capital of Hungary as 'budapesht' instead of 'budapest', namely an arbitrary marker of education that really has nothing to do with 'English'. Getting uptight about these distinction is in effect getting uptight about education/class-based perceptions.
It's a beautiful day, you shouldn't be reading comment threads. Go play outside.
But language change over time is not the result in errors in the sense that there is a one true version of the language. Rather, children subconsciously acquire (via innate guidelines and messy input) a system that resembles that of their surroundings to a sufficient degree that they can get by.
You realize, of course, that the above is an ungrammatical sentence. As written, the initial phrase modifies "this". Not unlike "walking down the hill, the bicycle hit the boy".
How about "As someone whose job..., I find this an unnerving read".
correcting this: As someone whose job it is to ensure grammatical propriety, this is an unnerving read.
to this: As someone whose job it is to ensure grammatical propriety, I find this an unnerving read.
is the same as pronouncing the capital of Hungary as 'budapesht' instead of 'budapest', namely an arbitrary marker of education that really has nothing to do with 'English'. Getting uptight about these distinction is in effect getting uptight about education/class-based perceptions.
The correct answer?
"Its in the Puget Sound!"