Are You Saying It Right or Wrong???

Prescriptive Grammar   VS    Descriptive Grammar

Are you a grammar Nazi? Grammar is definitely needed to learn and speak a language the proper way. Then, what is “proper” and what is not? Who decides if an expression is grammatically correct or wrong? The criteria to tell correct ways of saying English from wrong ones is becoming blurred today. According to Linguistic Society of America, “The prescriptive grammarians follow the tradition of classical grammars of Sanskrit, Greek, and Latin”, whereas descriptive grammarians focus on describing what people actually use in various situations.

This week, let us take a look at the expressions based on the classical prescriptive grammar and descriptive grammar in use.

PRESCRIPTIVE GRAMMAR

DESCRIPTIVE GRAMMAR

1.   If I were….            2.   A: Do you mind if I …?      B: No, go ahead.      3.   There’re a couple of things to do.      4.   It’s a whole other story.      5.   It’s I.      Between you and I       6.   I lay down at the beach and basked in the sun for hours yesterday.            7.   Whom did you go to the party with?      8.   (at a grocery store) If you have 10 items or fewer, use this checkout counter.      9.   Tom got it free.     10.               Does anyone have some cash?           11.               They don’t have any.      12.               Could you speak a bit slowly?            13.               I couldn’t care less.

ð  If I was … ð  Sure/ Absolutely, go ahead. ð  There’s a couple of things to do. ð  It’s a whole nother story. ð  It’s me.         Between you and me ð  I laid down at the beach and basked in the sun for hours yesterday. ð  Who did you go to the party with? ð  If you have 10 items or less, use this checkout counter.     ð  Tom got it for free. ð  Anyone have some cash?        ð  They don’t have none. ð  Could you speak a bit slow? ð  I could care less.