[Date Prev][Date Next]
[Chronological]
[Thread]
[Top]
RE: RAT Grammar
Jonathan Harris,
I love you.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: jonoh1@juno.com [SMTP:jonoh1@juno.com]
> Sent: Thursday, October 21, 1999 7:52 AM
> To: rat-list@whirl-i-gig.com
> Subject: Re: RAT Grammar
>
>
>
> On Thu, 21 Oct 1999 06:17:56 EDT TravSD@aol.com writes:
> >I resubmit: a predilection for the dotting of eyes and the crossing of
> >tees
> >is evidence to me that someone is overlooking essentials: talent,
> >passion, a
> >point of view and a sensibility that makes the heart sing.
>
> But, couldn't it also mean that that person is merely <assuming> the
> talent, passion, point of view and sensibility as givens? And is then
> trying, through the limited tools of the written word, to communicate
> those various attributes in his or her own writing? And, perhaps
> unfairly, assuming its presence in other peoples' writings.
>
> My point is
> >not
> >that people should not be concerned with the rules of language (they
> >must
> >certainly be learnt in order to be broken), but that all too often
> >UNTALENTED
> >people DWELL on SUPERFICIAL mistakes and completely MISS THE POINT of
> >fine
> >writing.
>
> And, on the flip side, UNTALENTED people can just as easily DWELL on
> SUPERFICIAL scribblings that just kind of birth out of them willy-nilly
> and spew onto a page and they assume that, having given birth to the
> child, there is no reason now to raise it well. This, IMHO, MISSES THE
> POINT of fine writing as well. These are pretty broad brushes here, don't
> you think?
>
>
> The numerous knee-jerk responses to the previous missive
> >reinforced
> >that point in concrete.
>
> Which "knee jerk" responses would those be? Are you sure you're not
> mistaking an opposing view as reactionary?
>
> A famous mixed metaphor from Hamlet: "...take
> >up arms
> >against a SEA of troubles, and, by opposing, end them." A sword is not
> >likely
> >to do a world of damage against a body of water, but which of you is
> >brave
> >enough to correct Shakespeare?
>
> I must admit to being somewhat baffled by this example. The metaphor
> works perfectly for me. And as far as it's being "correct" or not, who's
> to say? That's one of the beautiful things about Shakespeare, isn't it?
> And it's perfect if you think on it. Of course a sword will not hold back
> water. So where does that leave us? Hamlet's choices are to either
> "suffer the slings and arrows..." or "take up arms" in (what some would
> view to be) a losing battle. Quite interesting, actually. Plays right
> into his lack of action.
>
>
>
> Do you actually think you can improve
> >him by
> >imposing your grammar on him?
>
> You're cutting the ocean with a sword here. Nobody is saying that.
>
> I challenge you to take your cherished
> >blue
> >pencil and do so. And would you change the spelling of "publick" in
> >Poor
> >Richard's Almanac? I kind of like it the old way: it has charm, and
> >the way
> >the New York Times spells it does not. If it comes to that, I'll take
> >charm
> >over "acceptable to the ironclad dictates of Strunk and White" any day
> >of the
> >week. And yes I am a professional writer, I have a piece coming out in
> >
> >American Theatre in December and a play going up at HERE in January.
> >Please
> >attend, if only to throw dictionaries at the actors.
>
> My. Well, this is sounding more like some personal issues here. My
> parents were instructors of English. I have exactly <zero> respect for
> our hired halls of academia. They screwed my folks, they've screwed the
> arts, they've screwed me and they're screwing young minds on a daily
> basis. This does <not> mean that I will throw the baby (correct usage and
> what painfully little I actually know of it) out with the bathwater (the
> constraints placed gratuitously on budding writers). Use the system, I
> say. Then discard it. But why would one throw dictionaries at the actors?
> Isn't it the playwright one should aim for in such a case? Leave the poor
> actors out of it. They have it hard enough.
> Best,
> Jonathan
>
> ___________________________________________________________________
> Get the Internet just the way you want it.
> Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month!
> Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.