As a linguist, I am trained to look at language descriptively. I am also inclined to dismiss the prescriptions of grammarians and language mavens; they often reflect a narrow view of language. I found the Grammar Girl podcast because it was given as a model of the prescriptive attitude in a colleague’s slides. In it, Mignon Fogerty gives advice about how to use words and grammatical constructions in English. I thought, “Excellent. I’ll listen, and get a window into the other side – see how the prescriptivists go wrong, and be able to formulate arguments against them.”
But Mignon Fogerty foiled my plans. Rather than advocating a blind adherence to arbitrary rules (as some prescriptivists do), She and other contributors make an effort to understand language as it actually works. They tell listeners where forms come from. They advise based on how language is actually used. They do sometimes fall back on usage guides. (See this article from a far more accomplished linguist than me to understand why “usage guides” are not held in high esteem by linguists.)
I had to listen for some time before I came to a full appreciation of the subtleties of her perspective, and I’m afraid I offered her one or two snarky tweets along the way (from my other Twitter account, @TimPhon).
Super. …It IS sarcastic, right? RT @GrammarGirl: People who highlight minor grammar points are amazing: http://t.co/dhdbG1p4yi via @zhadu
— Timothy Mills (@Timphon) August 23, 2013
I still don’t agree with everything she says, but I stay subscribed because I know there’s plenty that I can learn from her. And because the episodes are short and fun.
Anyway, here was one attempt to redeem my behaviour to her:
Love @GrammarGirl‘s new rant about Wierd Al’s Word Crimes video. http://t.co/xpzIKO0kwE
— Timothy Mills (@Timphon) July 20, 2014
(Yes, someone has already pointed out my idiosyncratic spelling of “weird”. Thankyou.)
Tags: podcast
Friendly Humanist 
Leave a Reply