Spelling, grammar, etc.

[barbara wolf <lupa@biddeford.com>]

Although I'm not minded to get into the merits of the Brit/Amer usage,
grammar, and spelling debated, I do think there are some reasons why there
is a debate.

1.  As I used to tell freshmen writing students, there is a difference
between acceptable spoken English and the written variety.  We certainly
accept all sorts of usage as okay in speech; there aren't any spelling
problems; and there aren't any punctuation marks to struggle with. (The
slight rise in vocal tone for questions and the pause for sentence endings,
etc., don't count for much in speech.  It's not the rise in pitch that makes
a question.  It's the "Who" or "Why" that does.  In some parts of the
country, questions seem to droop.)  I had to lean on the distinction in
order to get students in the least *interested* in grammar.

2.  There is, of course, also a difference between formal and informal
written English, like that between a diary and an essay.

3.  As I have been reading (and reading and reading and reading--I had no
idea when I embarked on this adventure in cyberspace of the amount of STUFF
that would pour into my computer!) what everyone has to say, it has seemed
to me that what's going to the lists isn't intended to be formal written
English.  It's not quite speech (although the :>) and its fellows--dare I
call them icons?--hint at efforts to communicate with more than words.  In
any event, I think anyone expecting the sort of writing that would be
required for an essay is bound to be disappointed.  (Furthermore, I must say
that the dialogues re spelling  could use a little common sense.  I
frequently commit typos and do not always catch them.  Like most retired
teachers, however, I can usually tell the difference between a genuine,
honest-to-betsy spelling error and a typo.)

For whatever spelling/grammar/usage errors this message contains, I do
sincerely apologize.


Barbara Wolf

But we've got to be careful not to reduce people by cramming them in the
limits of our understanding, haven't we?
                                                        Reginald Hill