When I started this blog, I really didn’t expect it to turn into a political, anti-Palin rant. I imagined that it would just be an outlet for me to express whatever was on my mind, good or bad, in an environment that I created. It’s just that Palin has been pissing me off recently. There’s lots of stuff that’s got me concerned around the country, and I’ll probably be blogging about those soon. But today, I want to talk about the way people in America speak.
A few years ago, I was working a project in South Korea, and I was talking to a friend about being gay. He said that he always knew that I was gay, almost from the moment that he met me. I was kind of surprised because I know lots of people who still don’t know or guess. When I asked what gave me away, he said that it was the way I talked; that I pronounce every single syllable of every word. I withheld my laughter since he was being serious and said, “Because I talk properly, I must be gay?” And he replied, “Yeah!”
I once replied to a posting on a group that I used to belong to on the internet jokingly correcting someone’s use of the word “baited” instead of “bated”. He just as jokingly responded with “Oh no! Another member of the grammar Gestapo!” Hence the title of this post. I don’t go around correcting everyone, despite what my friends think. But I do cringe every time I hear someone use conversational English incorrectly.
Unfortunately, we are judged by many categories, and one of the quickest and hardest to shake is the way we speak. If we speak ignorantly, we are judged to be ignorant. If we continue to speak ignorantly, we continually reinforce that judgment. As a writer, I will often allow my characters to speak in the vernacular to establish tone and personality. However, the style of writing is always correct without any grammatical errors (I think) to prove that I’m intelligent and can do the job.
One really good example that I’ve been hearing a lot lately is the word “conversate.” Did you know that it’s not a real word? (I’ll get into “real words” in a moment.) When two people are talking, they are having a conversation. The physical act of talking is conversing. Obviously, a conversation is the result of conversing. You cannot conversate because the word doesn’t exist.
Let’s talk about how words are added to our list of “proper words”. Take the case of “ain’t”. Those of us who are older than 40 will remember every adult in the area telling us that “Ain’t ain’t a word!” whenever we used it. However, through common usage, it became part of the dictionary. Another word like that is “OK or okay”. Nobody knows how this word originated, yet it exists in nearly every single language and is almost globally recognized as a word of acceptance. Another way that a word will enter into common usage is through jargon. How many computer words are now used in everyday life that at one time were the sole method of communication between techno-geeks?
Finally, I’d like to address people calling me the grammar policeman or other words and phrases to that effect. Okay, so I correct people when I hear them saying something incorrectly. But I’d truly appreciate it if they would do the same for me. I would not get upset or angry. I would not assume that they are trying to appear superior or more intelligent. I would assume that they are trying to help me and are concerned that I not sound ignorant or stupid. I’d probably want to discuss it, and I would certainly research it. And I would always thank them.
Hope you all have a great day!
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