My preference is to give students knowledge and to let them make choices. I tell them that most educated writers (including the editors of almost every magazine, newspaper, and publishing house) use "all right" and not "alright," but the latter is used by a minority of writers, and its use may be growing. They can use "alright" if they like, but they can expect that a number of their readers may judge them on it. They might think twice before using "alright" in a college application essay or in a job application letter.
Language is democratic, and if enough people join the "alright" bandwagon, it will become accepted the way "another" and "altogether" are accepted. Everyone is free to jump on that bandwagon, but it doesn't hurt to weigh the consequences.
Dick
On Wed, Aug 10, 2011 at 2:06 PM, Castilleja, Janet
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
If ‘another’ can be a word, why not ‘alright’? I’m never marking this wrong again.
Janet
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/