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Style: Lesson 2 - ENGL 396
- 1. Presentation by Amanda Asimakopoulos Correctness Lesson 2 in Part One: Style as Choice of Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace by Joseph M. Williams & Joseph Bizup
- 2. TWEET TWEET @amandaasi #eatingcrows
- 3. What is Correctness? The rules in Standard English (spoken and written) The correct ways of speaking and writing Following basic grammatical and syntactical rules While there are many rules that can be disregarded or have exceptions, there are some basic rules that we cannot ignore The difference between a more formal view of Correctness and a more straightforward (25) view is the result of STYLE Whats Correctness for Williams & Bizup? Clarity and grace (25) NOT perfect grammar
- 4. (1) (2)
- 5. No grammatical rules have sufficient authority to control the firm and established usage of language. Established custom, in speaking and writing, is the standard to which we must at last resort for determining every controverted point in language and style. Hugh Blair (9) Whats your opinion? Think about words, such as selfie, sick, like or even expressions we use, for example, Are you down? (3)
- 6. God does not much mind bad grammar, but He does not take any particular pleasure in it. Erasmus (9) English usage is sometimes more than mere taste, judgment, and educationsometimes its sheer luck, like getting across the street. - E.B. White (9)
- 7. How do we develop our ideas of Correctness? From people with social, political and academic influence When a language has different regional dialects, that of the most powerful speakers usually becomes the most prestigious and the basis for a nations correct writing (10). Social convention what we say and how we write in our everyday lives that through habit and frequency become standards From frequently used expressions Im here, arent I? vs. I am here, am I not? Arent vs. amnt (am I not) The violation of a rule of Standard English reflects a logical mind making English grammar more consistent (11).
- 8. The Problem with the Concept of Correctness Some rules that we teach or practice by are not even real rules Some rules are less important than others and therefore can be bent At times, people become too focused on correctness when writing: If you obsess over them all, you prevent yourself from writing quickly and clearly (10). The concept of correctness was used by some for discriminating against others and identify inferior people based on grammatical errors (12).
- 9. The Myth of Correctness There are rules by which we must always follow Correctness requires not sound judgment but a good memory (10). There are no choices in writing - obedience (10) > choice
- 10. Examples of Mythical Rules in Correctness Never begin a sentence with and or but Never use double negatives Never split infinitives (A verb that cannot be made past or present, often preceded by the word to)
- 11. Three Kinds of Rules 1. Real Rules What makes English English Anglophones dont think about these rules when they write These rules are broken only when the writer is tired or distracted Ex: Articles must precede nouns The book NOT Book the
- 12. Three Kinds of Rules 2. Social Rules The distinction of Standard English from nonstandard He doesnt have any money vs. He dont have no money Whats acceptable to say but not writeformally These rules, like Real Rules, are observed naturally by Anglophones We only notice Social Rules when others break them People who speak English as a second language are more conscious of these rules (4)
- 13. Three Kinds of Rules 3. Invented Rules Invented by grammarians who think everyone should follow these rules The grammar police love to enforce and obsess over these rules Some of the best writers ignore these rules and are still considered great writers Does not effect Standard English Dont feel bad if you dont follow Invented Rules Examples: Dont split infinitives Dont end a sentence with a preposition (ex: at, with) Dont use hopefully for I hope Dont use which for that
- 14. How do I ignore Invented Rules? Know the Real Rules and Invented Rules better than the grammar police do to show that there are numerous correct ways to write Be able to distinguish a Real Rule from an Invented Rule
- 15. Two Kinds of Invented Rules 1. Folklore Rules that most careful readers and writers ignore These rules dont appear in handbooks but have gained popularity Ex: Do not begin sentences with a conjunction - Leads to more stylistic errors rather than grammatical errors - Probably became a rule as a way of avoiding fragments Ex: that before a restrictive clause, and which before a nonrestrictive clause Invented because some writers found the variations between that and which were messy Ex: Use fewer with nouns you count, less with nouns you cannot Writers often use less with countable plural nouns Ex: Use since and while to refer only to time, not to mean because or although
- 16. 2. Elegant Options Readers will notice the formality of it Experienced writers ignore these rules most of the time These are stylistic choices rather than concrete rules Ex: Dont split infinitives. However, split infinitives are used more frequently than non-split infinitives Ex: Use whom as the object of a verb or preposition Grammarians would prefer you write, For whom am I writing? rather than, Who am I writing for? Tips on how to use who/whom on pg. 18 Ex: Dont end a sentence with a preposition Ending a sentence with a prep. can sometimes make the sentence weak, but its not entirely wrong. The man I met with was the man I had written to. The man with whom I met was the man to whom I had written. Ex: Use the singular with none and any Nowadays, the plural is used with none and any
- 17. Using Words Correctly Using words according to their actual definition help you be more precise in your writing Example of some rules that you cant just know, you need to learn and study them! The following are words that are often misused Aggravate Definition: to make worse Used: to annoy Continuous Definition: without interruption Used: synonymous with continual Disinterested Definition: neutral Used: uninterested Can you think of other words that are commonly misused that bother you? Tweet them using #eatingcrows
- 18. Test Your Word-Knowledge! Tweet your answers using #eatingcrows What is correct definition of the following commonly misused words: 1. Comprise: a. To include all parts in a single unit b. A part of a whole (syn. Constitute) 2. Anxious: a. Eager b. Uneasy 3. Fortuitous: a. Fortunate b. By chance
- 19. True or False: Tweet Your Answers! 1. Hopefully means to be full of hope, but is used as I hope. According to Lesson 2, the sentence, Hopefully, it will not rain is correct. 1. According to Lesson 2, the rule to never use like for as or as if should always be followed. #eatingcrows
- 20. The Moral of the Lesson If esteemed writers are violating these rules and readers never notice, then these rules have no force. According to the authors of this book, the grammarians should change their Folklore Rules and Invented Rules.
- 21. Correctness in Pronouns Basic rules: - verbs must agree with subjects - pronouns must agree with antecedents/their referents Problems? - Do we use a singular or plural pronoun when referring to a noun that is singular in grammar but plural in meaning? Ex: a committee - What pronouns do we use, it or they, to refer to someone, everyone, no one and to singular common nouns with no gender (teacher, student, etc)? Informally, we use they Formally, we use a singular pronoun like he.
- 22. The Issue with Rules About Pronouns Lesson 2 is trying to show how sometimes it is hard to follow a supposed agreed upon rule The correct way of writing is not black and white There are exceptions, and even situations that the rules cannot be applied to (singular vs. plural) The book is also trying to show how some rules need to adapt to our current society and its values (i.e. biased language)
- 23. Gender and Biased Language The issue of not wanting to offend readers The war between he and they The use of he as a generic pronoun They as a solution to biased language (replace he with they in generic situations) Other sloppy and lengthy solutions: - He or she - He/she - S/he - Alternating he and she throughout the text - The royal we The problem with they as a generic replacement for he? Many plural pronouns in a sentence can seem confusing, whereas singular pronouns seem more precise
- 24. Q & TWEET #eatingcrows Everyone realizes that she must answer for her actions. Does this sentence make use of singular generic pronouns or plural generic pronouns? Does this sentence contain biased language? Tweet your answersand your own opinions on biased language, if you like!
- 25. The Issue with Biased Language Right now, there are no accepted solutions in the war between plural and singular generic pronouns Some solutions can be considered patronizing (24) to one of the sexes Can offend readers Some of the solutions can make the reading awkward (24). The Moral of the Lesson: We must THINK about our choice of words and sentence structure
- 26. Some claim that such compromises lead to lazy imprecision. Whatever the future, we have a choice now, and thats not a bad thing, because our choices define who we are (25). - Williams and Bizup believe that even in Correctness, we have choices in what is correct in Standard English; we do not have to be obedient to rules - How we write, speak, and the terms we use (even decisions in generic pronouns) reflects the current society and their values
- 27. Photos (1) http://izismile.com/2013/09/04/grammar_ge eks_will_totally_get_these_jokes_14_pics_3_ gifs.html (2) http://www.pinterest.com/kimdamon/gram mar-jokes/ (3) http://arfeldcomm232.wordpress.com/ (4) http://english7withmrsthomas.wordpress.co m/grammar-short-i/