The Demise of "da inglish langwij"

The Demise of "da inglish langwij"

Maybe it's me. But I'm really amazed at how the majority of the American public has no sense of correct spelling and grammar.

Since you are reading this blog instead of sitting home on the couch watching Jerry Springer or hanging out in an alley sipping some Boone's Farm Apple Wine and puffing on a cigarette, you are also probably confounded by how the English language is being butchered.

As a realtor, I am actually getting used to the fact that so many people spell realty as R-E-A-L-I-T-Y. Duh! Isn't reality one of those dumb shows where people eat maggots or get stranded together on an island?

And how about people who say, "I ain't got none." Gee, I didn't learn not to use double negatives until I was in the fourth grade. Or was it sooner? (Did you notice my use of a double negative?)

I guess our educational systems are to blame. Teachers become babysitters to half the kids, while the other half actually learn and excel. I was always in the "accelerated" class growing up in progressive North Jersey, so I was separated from the dummies after kindergarten and apparently forgot they existed. Perhaps that's why I'm perplexed by their lack of English fundamentals.

Yet, you would think that after 10 or 12 years of school people would have retained some elements of grammar and spelling. Some people come from the worst possible environment or home life, but somehow they work hard and get college degrees and end up with high-paying jobs. They show that anyone can excel.

So how come some people can't even fill out a job application or handle a job interview? The answer may be that they concentrated on being "cool" when they were in school, instead of toeing the line. I guess that once again lays the blame on the schools.

I'm not sure what the solution is. More compassion from teachers, smaller classrooms, more individual attention? Maybe more direction from parents, but if they're half-literate that'll be tough.

Maybe we better just play taps for the English language and bury it with honors.

- Mountain Man and City Girl

http://www.MountainManandCityGirl.com