Quote:
Originally Posted by ryanglavin
I laughed as I was reading this. I laughed at the end of reading this.
Then I felt like an idiot for not knowing half of these facts.
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Don't worry. At work I am frequently surrrounded by Master degree holders whom I consider to be depressingly close to illiterate.....
Here are a few words from an acknowledged master of the language, George Orwell:
It is rather the same thing that is happening to the English language. It becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts. The point is that the process is reversible. Modern English, especially written English, is full of bad habits which spread by imitation and which can be avoided if one is willing to take the necessary trouble.
He wrote that in 1946 (the bolding was done by me). It's an extract from an essay
'Politics and the English Language', and I use that quote as exhibit 1 when someone tells me spelling/punctuation/grammar don't matter.
I think that essay should be included in every English curriculum around the world, especially for his simple rules for clear writing.
OK, off soap box...