The sad, sad state of college English

The Examiner ^ | 14 Nov 2008 | Michael Olesker

[Fresh Wind]

I have a deram:

[OneWingedShark]

> These kids today are geniuses

This posted article and your linked article have made me think THIS is why firearms are forbidden on campus.

[martin_fierro]

I HAZ A DRAM.

[aruanan]

The language is spoken. Writing is written.

Origin of the word from "tongue" notwithstanding, language is cerebral in nature and expressed in spoken, written, or signed forms. Just because one of the forms of expression existed earlier or is more widespread than the others doesn't mean that it is more genuinely "language."

“The thing that’s really concerned many of us is the inability of many students to think clearly. It’s reflected in their writing. Some of it’s just gibberish. It reads as if written by someone for whom English is a second language, with mixed-up phrases and ideas. You ask them what they mean, and they can’t tell you verbally, either.”

When contrasting written telling with spoken telling, he should have said, "...and they can't tell you orally, either" as in an oral versus a written response.

And everyone should read Less than Words Can Say and The Graves of Academe by Richard Mitchell.

[Malesherbes]

If this weren’t series, it would be a choke.

[RightWhale]

When Thoth brought his new invention of writing to show Ammon, Ammon thought it might not be such a great thing. Next thing there were poets and historians and progress has been downhill all the way.

[aruanan]

When Thoth brought his new invention of writing to show Ammon, Ammon thought it might not be such a great thing. Next thing there were poets and historians and progress has been downhill all the way.

And then we ended up with Dreams from My Father.

[Petronski]

But if I were to turn in a paper in English, you better believe it would checked and double checked.

Uh...

[RightWhale]

I’ll have to read a poem about Priestley’s mouse now to clear my palette.

[aruanan]

Here's an example from the writer of the article:

But his students’ sentences trail behind him like ship’s anchors [sic], evidence of the sinking of American writing skills.

[Still Thinking]

The thing that’s really concerned many of us is the inability of many students to think clearly. It’s reflected in their writing. Some of it’s just gibberish. It reads as if written by someone for whom English is a second language, with mixed-up phrases and ideas. You ask them what they mean, and they can’t tell you verbally, either."

Hmm, maybe he shouldn't be criticizing others' command of Engrish after all.

[Still Thinking]

Jogging on a woman’s ovaries can be dangerous to her health.

I can't even figure out what this one was intended to mean.

[Still Thinking]

Actually, that’s historical. It meant “full of awe”...awesome.

[Still Thinking]

Maybe he was referring to politicians. You know, “Most people, including the ones you’d compare to snakes, eat six meals a day.”

[donaldo]

Check out the YouTube video where Agnes Scott defeated Princeton on the GE College Bowl to see what an education meant fifty years ago. There is something seriously wanting in education today. Albert Jay Nock (a Libertarian precursor) made the distinction between people who were educable and those who could be trained. Alas, too many of the latter attend college today.