Political Correctness and the Death of the English Language

[femkes_follies]

How did we come to this?

A recent exchange on an LJ comm with another soul left a tidbit from "My Fair Lady" running through my mind:

"Her English is too perfect!! Which clearly indicates that she is foreign. Whereas others are instructed in their native language, English people aren't."

Really, the whole of the plot of that musical is built on the class distinctions created by language. And I don't mean which language you speak, but rather how you speak the English language.

This, I believe, is the final "barrier" being assaulted by the Though Police. They wish you to believe that we live in a classless society. Not true. And that you should not distinguish between one person and another based on their facility with the English language. Even if it happens to be their native tongue.

I stand forth and declare myself a languagist. If I notice multiple misspellings and grammatical errors in your resume, I will indeed place it directly in the circular file. There is absolutely no excuse in this day and age. Even lj has a spell check mechanism. Which, ironically, highlights "lj" as a misspelling. I contend, as well, that anyone proffering written commentary on my A&S entries had better at least be able to spell the basic terminology of the art. Failure to do so will result in my considering said commentary to be baseless, or at least coming from a source ignorant of the craft. Why? Because the carelessness required to draft commentary with such errors makes you look ignorant.

And, I'm sorry to say, no liberal whining about the inequality of the educational system will change that.

Then, there is the aspect of courtesy. How is it rude of ME to refuse to answer questions posed to a list in an E-mail that looks like this:

"Hi all the dress makers form is still avalible along with the singer sowing
mackine and a sewing stand and aunt virg told me she found a portable cloth
steamer 3 ft long call and ill give give you her # to talk direct my # is 989
906 1815

Thanks
*name deleted*

PS I didnt save the numbers of anyone that called"

Whilst it is NOT rude of the poster to clog the list with something that makes my retinas bleed. It takes twice as long to wend my way through it. Why should I be expected to expend the time to read a message that the author cannot be bothered to type correctly?

Anybody with the most basic education can do better than this. Especially when coupled with the electronic aids currently available. I can only assume that the existence of these aids is part of the reason for the general decline in linguistic ability. If you never lose points on an essay for poor grammar or spelling, you never learn it to start with.

Shall we even get started on the recent elimination of cursive script from public school curricula as "obsolete" and "irrelevant?" All the art and beauty is gradually being lost from social interaction. Bring back calling cards!! Engraved stationery!! Dammit, I'm going to teach my girls copperplate!!

This is not to say that I don't manage some impressive spelling and grammatical errors myself. I do. But I make an effort to make public communications as clear as may be. (Gee, did I just end a sentence with a preposition?)

In short (well, too late for that, but anyway), I reserve the right to treat someone who speaks (and types) like a lady, and someone who speaks (and types) like a guttersnipe accordingly. So if you want my full and undivided attention - speak softly....and with good diction.

Comments

[mistressarafina.livejournal.com]

Amen, Sister! They don't teach grammar in grammar schools these days. People look at me like I'm a weirdo when I talk about diagramming a sentence. Word makes it easy for people to be lazy, but Word is not perfect on it's spelling or grammar check. The run-on sentence is one of the oft-committed crimes against humanity.

The purpose of language is to convey meaning. If I can't figure out what you're trying to tell me, you fail.

[femkederoas.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

I'm feeling a bit affronted, since I've been made out to be the Big Meanie for insisting that spelling and grammar is important. The ol' Political Correctness was attempted in defense. However, in my experience, foreign nationals on mostly-English web applications have exceptional English skills. Much better than the average English speaker.

I stand with Professor Higgins - It is their syllables that consign them to the gutter, rather than scruffy clothes or a dirty face.

[reabhecc.livejournal.com]

If you are interested in something enough to pursue it, than you can learn to spell the terms involved. If you do not, then you cannot rightly be surprised when others consider you a neophyte.

[femkederoas.livejournal.com]

This is my argument.

Well, among others.

I also believe that if you wish to be thought intelligent, you must learn to use proper English. You would not believe some of the referral paperwork I've gotten from the local University hospital lately. I finally tore strips off the staff about it. Anybody with a Doctorate should not be confusing "are" and "our."

[lorihalia.livejournal.com]

You = awesome.

I hope eventually we get to meet at least once before you move.

[femkederoas.livejournal.com]

I do remember you from last year's Day at the Castle. But I did spend rather a lot of time chasing my little ones about. Next time I get to an event - look for the curly-headed toddler and the 8-year-old China Doll and you'll find me. ;-)

[landverhuizer.livejournal.com]

I normally wouldn't ask but... "the Though Police"?

Oh my! I had trouble getting through the quote. I think I made it about as far as "mackine" and the pain was already too much :P

[femkederoas.livejournal.com]

Heh. You caught me in a typo. That was supposed to be the Thought Police.

In Canada, that would be the Human Rights Commission, and the trickle-down idiotic liberal brigade trying to eliminate not just "hate crime" but "hate itself." The U.S. has it's own covey of lunatics.

[eleanor-deyeson.livejournal.com]

Your Icon is made of win. What's the original source?

[landverhuizer.livejournal.com]

an 18th century diagram of a trepanation
Full image can be seen here: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plate_20_6_20_extract_300px.jpeg

Cursive

[evavano.livejournal.com]

Shall we even get started on the recent elimination of cursive script from public school curricula as "obsolete" and "irrelevant?"

Gotta say I wouldn't be that sorry to see it go. I rarely can read it, and I sure can't write it. Mostly because I never had anyone teach me without getting frustrated by the fact that I am left-handed. So I NEVER use it. I learned to print faster than I could do cursive while in college, and it's more legible :-) But that's just me...

Re: Cursive

[femkederoas.livejournal.com]

I still consider it further watering down of the curriculum. And for the most part - you can't read it because you don't write it. There was always a morsel of truth in Dad's old bit about "I can't read writin'. I can only read readin'." And even though he got into the engineer's habit of printing - in all caps... his script is really quite lovely. Whilst - we'll be raising a generation of children who can't sign their own names.

Though we'll leave the general bass-ackwardness of lefties for another day. :-P

At that, I can probably write faster than you can print. The whole point of cursive scripts is speed. That's why period scripts routinely start as a nearly typeface-styled form, and gradually morph into conjoined forms that could be written more quickly. The current thinking is that nobody writes at all anymore. Which I would take issue with, at least to a degree.

Frankly, I'd rather my kids spent their time in school learning cursive than studying the new "social studies" books loaded with revisionist history and political correctness. Or "environmental science," which would be more accurately termed "statistical voodoo." I long for the day when the MEA can be pried off the reins of public school programming. Most of them don't want to teach cursive because it requires effort on their part. Which they're against.

Re: Cursive

[evavano.livejournal.com]

And for the most part - you can't read it because you don't write it.

No, it's because most people don't write it legibly. And not just Grandma ;-) Although I can usually figure hers out.

At that, I can probably write faster than you can print.

Maybe YOU can, but I could print as fast as my college classmates could write cursive. Righties can pull the pen gracefully across the page. I have to push across the page, and get my hand smeared to boot. That's partly why mine looks jerky. Not that it's illegible, just not as pretty.

And I agree; it should be taught in school (even if they never use it again. It helps to know cursive to learn calligraphy ;-P )

Most of them don't want to teach cursive because it requires effort on their part. Which they're against.
True. I had a teacher who couldn't be bothered to learn how to teach me cursive. And Mom either didn't know how or couldn't be bothered as well.

Re: Cursive

[femkederoas.livejournal.com]

I doubt it was a matter of Mom not being bothered. I don't think you can argue a lack of will on her part of anything academic, at least right up until she went back to work. Rather, something of the reverse, as I recall. Not until she had something else to worry about did she ever cease to try to learn something in order to make sure we were doing it right.