May 18, 2008
If we're going to call something "bad grammar," we should know why it's bad.
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Only in language study do many of those who seek to influence others turn their backs on data in favor of opinion.
Proper English, 129
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Only in language? Have you ever studied economics or political science?
Good point. I figured someone would see the flaw there. I imagine there are many people in most fields of study who rely more on what they want to find than what the actual results are.
I couldn’t resist using the quote anyway. I’m willing to forgive the author his inaccurate hyperbole because he’s still saying something important.
There is a concept called Mythos over Logos. This means that when people are confronted with knowledge that contradicts their myth based beliefs, they usually choose to believe the myth.
When it comes to language I wish that more people would subscribe to a descriptive point of view rather than a prescriptive one.
Those who study language and turn their backs on results do so to maintain power.
i’m not sure i get what the quotation is saying. what kind of “language study”? who are these people and what kind of opinions do they have, for instance?
Carissa, any “authority” on language who spends most of their time talking about how people should talk or write is suspect.
True authorities on language will talk much more about how people do talk, rather than forcing others to submit to arbitrary, elitist linguistic standards.