Yet another reason a lot of English teachers hate/resist grammar (and 
in a lot of English departments, the lit. folk hate composition, too): 
They have reason to fear that the 'language people' (comp., grammar) 
will become more valued than the literature people. Literature is, 
after all, an art. What would happen to English departments if they 
were suddenly classified with the art curriculum of a school??? In 
these times, I think we know. And with the current focus on 
employability and vocation-specific education, the practicality of comp 
and grammar instruction (whether perceived or real) is much more likely 
to draw funding support than an "art".

I'm not saying literature should be dumped, of course. All of the arts 
are getting short shrift these days.

I believe also that there is a turf war of sorts. Part of being a 
literature professor is being able to recognize and produce elegant 
English prose (or poetry or whatever). This can abet the "proper 
English" ideology.

A close friend of mine in my department always argues with me about 
"proper English". She refuses to accept that my expertise concerning 
English language is greater than hers. It's a threat to her 
professional (and I suspect personal) identity. She doesn't equate her 
questioning of my expertise with my trying to correct her about Chaucer 
or Arthurian lit. (her specialties). I never do that, of course ... I 
don't have a Ph.D. in it!

Dr. Johanna Rubba, Associate Professor, Linguistics
Linguistics Minor Advisor
English Department
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Tel.: 805.756.2184
Dept. Ofc. Tel.: 805.756.2596
Dept. Fax: 805.756.6374
URL: http://www.cla.calpoly.edu/~jrubba

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