[net.general] The English Language

samm (05/13/82)

It appears to me that there are three kinds of people (yes, I use the 
word 'people' like that) on netnews: (1) those who write 'affect' for
'effect', 'loose' for 'lose', 'publically' for 'publicly', etc., etc.,
ad nauseam; (2) those who write articles about how illiterate the 
members of group 1 are, and provide lists of favourite style manuals (I've
never understood what style amnuals had to do with correct spelling and
simple errors of grammar and usage); (3) those who reply to articles by
group 2, sniping at real or perceived errors in THEIR (i.e. group 2's)
articles, and proclaiming the supremacy of CONTENT over FORM (as if there
are clear dividing lines between them).

I have a proposal: let's all shut up and let the illiterate, the literate,
and the many in between continue on their own merry ways - it's not that
likely that we are going to change the quality of anyone's English/
American just by putting articles on net.*

PS. It's obvious that I meant 'at least three kinds ...' - I suspect the 
(oops, read that " I suspect that the ") silent group is the largest.

bsg (05/13/82)

Anyone who "never understood what style manuals had to do with...
simple errors of grammar and usage" obviously has never looked at
Strunk & White ("The Elements of Style").  A basic premise of that
work is that the premier element of style is avoiding simple
errors of grammar and usage.  The author of the preceding article
should read it, as should everyone else.  (It should be required
of anyone posting news!)  I guess all this makes me a type 1 person.
                                    Billie Goldstein
                                    BTL Neptune
                                    (...npois!bsg)