Brad,

I'd like you to define "error" and "correct" as they relate to language.

Marshall

________________________________
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Brad Johnston
Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 10:36 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Letting errors go

<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Or, as the linguists would say, "Don't sweat the little shit".  Inaccuracies, like bad grammar, enliven prose and make it seem as if real people wrote it.

~~~~~

Craig,

In case you missed it, the above is sarcasm. "Don't sweat the little shit" is a totally indefensible position, e.g., "two plus two equals four", unless it suits the student to think of it as "five".

What do you think teachers should do with their days? Just sit there and let the little dears do what they want? Might as well. They learn all they'll ever know about their language by the time they're six years old. Unless ignoramus erratus is spoken at the dinner table. And unless the family doesn't have dinner together, as most now don't.

Letting errors go is an indefensible position.


To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list"

Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/

To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at:
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html
and select "Join or leave the list"

Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/