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The ability to read and write to a level that allows you to communicate with
the rest of the world is not, I believe, something someone who was
intellectually deficient would be able to do.
As for the "argument from authority" line, I'd suggest you check Professor
Pullum's credentials, and he needs feed me no line (and he'd say so himself
I'm sure). I was merely using a quick example from him as his recent talk
was very insightful and refreshingly non-academic in approach (the
undertones were "lighten up").
"One either participates responsibly in the use of a language like an adult,
or one stubbornly sticks to one's guns for infantile reasons."
Some would say the same holds true for those who cling dearly to the most
arcane and incorrect rules of grammar.
"Something's very wrong in the mind of a person who can kiss off grammatical
rules so cavalierly and demand that people not notice."
I see no demands being made, only a gentle reaffirming that our shared
language is a complex beast which many of us are still learning to control.
Perhaps if you explained your reasonings in more detail I'd be more inclined
to agree with them or, do you prefer to state your own grammatical rules and
demand that people take notice.
"In the end, literate people shake their heads and lament that universities
are producing such blockheads."
And here I step back from this conversation, from this snobbish, elitist and
stunningly academic approach to what was a simple email response to a simple
question. I fear I see where such discussions lead and I'm happy to let you
continue.
Bonnie, this is not a personal attack. I firmly believe that good writing is
the most important tool I possess, and I'm always willing to learn. That
said, I've yet to have a reader complain about the grammar of my writing,
only that it doesn't contain the information they require (a different
problem altogether!).
Gordon
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+gordon -dot- mclean=ciboodle -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+gordon -dot- mclean=ciboodle -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Bonnie Granat
Sent: 23 September 2008 09:03
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: "and then," or simply "then"?
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> techwr-l-bounces+bgranat=granatedit -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+bgranat=granatedit -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l
> .com] On Behalf Of Gordon McLean
> Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:39 AM
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: RE: "and then," or simply "then"?
>
> Catering for the "semi-literate"? Is that such a bad thing?
I wouldn't call it that, actually. But refusing to learn and abide by the
rules of a language while operating in the culture that uses that language,
because one is simply stubborn and lazy, marks a person as intellectually
deficient, among other things .
>
> Before you all leap on this I'll quote from a recent presentation I
> heard (at the UA Conference) by Prof. Geoffrey Pullum, who knows a bit
> about grammar and stuff...
>
The argument from authority doesn't work here for me.
> "Basically you are all good writers. You know what reads well and you
> know how to write it."
>
He's feeding you a line so that you will like him. Either that or he's not
read most of what passes for technical writing these days.
> With that in mind I think Apple have the correct approach. It scans
> just as easily TO THE USERS OF THAT PRODUCT with or without the 'and'.
>
One either participates responsibly in the use of a language like an adult,
or one stubbornly sticks to one's guns for infantile reasons. Something's
very wrong in the mind of a person who can kiss off grammatical rules so
cavalierly and demand that people not notice. In the end, literate people
shake their heads and lament that universities are producing such
blockheads.
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