College-level grammar lost on college students

The Digital Collegian (Penn State) ^ | Friday, Feb. 25, 2005 | Jen Winberry

[Willie Green]

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.

There are some things I just do not understand, and I am at a point where I have given up on figuring out many of these puzzlers.

But there are still some conundrums I am determined to solve.

For the life of me I cannot understand how it is that we have reached this level in our academic careers and we still cannot speak proper English.

We have all taken at least seven years of secondary English classes prior to coming to Penn State, and once we are here, we must take a minimum of two more classes. These courses, in addition to the primary schooling we receive and the out-of-class interaction we have with other people, should provide ample opportunity to learn, if not master, this language of ours.

I have to admit, I do find it humorous when people try to speak correctly and fail miserably. I had a friend who would say phrases such as, "If you have problems, come see Heather or I."

At the time, I never had the guts to correct her, but now in a public forum I will.

My friend should tell people to see "Heather and me," because if we were to remove Heather, my friend would not say "come see I," she would say "come see me."

I also hear people say, "Heather and me went to the movies."

Once again, without Heather, I doubt "me went to the movies." While you may think I am just an anal grammar prick, I am just tired of hearing Penn Staters sound like morons.

Critics will say students here are highly intelligent.

Yet on a daily basis I am inundated with examples proving otherwise.

For example, take the word "ignorant."

Now those who have actually picked up a dictionary know the word means lacking education or knowledge.

Chances are, if you have made it to college you have picked up a dictionary at least once, which is why I cannot understand for the life of me why people insist on using this word to mean "rude."

I hear phrases such as, "Gosh, he is so ignorant.

How could he even say that to you" all the time, but now that everyone is clear on the true meaning of the word ignorant, the next time I hear this statement, the "he" in question better be showing a lack of knowledge.

As much as I do not like misuse of the word ignorant, there are several things that irk me more. One of them includes our good friend, Mr. Supposedly. This guy just tries to live a normal life like any other word and then we come along and try to hook him up with Ms. Supposebly.

Now this would be great if "supposebly" were actually in the English lexicon. In fact, it is not, and it is a sorry excuse for the pronunciation of Mr. Supposedly.

And there is no convincing me that I am wrong or that this mistake is not that big of a deal; Chandler broke up with a girl for doing the same thing.

The common problems I hear do not always have to do with people making up words or mispronouncing ones that actually exist.

One thing to which I have really taken a notice lately is the overuse of the word "like."

It is one thing to "like" a boy or live "like" royalty, but it is quite another to, "Like, oh my gosh, did you like, hear like, what like he said to her?"

Now let's examine this for a second. Would anyone ever actually write that out on paper? No. So if you wouldn't write it out on paper, why would you say it aloud?

Amy Heckerling's 1995 hit Clueless introduced our generation to this horrible word, and ever since we have not been able to let go of it.

While it may have been trendy to use "like" in between each word back then, now it just makes the speaker look like a fool.

Imagine this: You graduate from Penn State and go out into the real world to a job interview.

The interviewer begins by asking you a few questions about your background and previous experience.

Now, do you honestly think the interviewer will hire a perceivably ditzy chica who used the words "like" and "you know" as often as it rains in State College?

Or will he or she choose a perceivably intelligent young lass who is well-spoken and articulate.

I think the answer is clear.

While this hypothetical situation may be several years off for many students here, it really is never too early to start looking to the future. Old habits have the tendency to die hard, and it will take a while to shake those old ways.

The future will look brighter though, and I am sure your professors and anal retentive English geek friends will appreciate the effort, too.

[Graybeard58]

For the same reason you park in the driveway and drive on the parkway.

Corn oil is made from corn.

Olive oil is made from olives.

Baby oil is made from....

[petitfour]

Do you say things like, "When Sally went Goth a year ago"? My daughter was describing a girl in one of her classes, and daughter made a statement such as that. Hubby was clueless because he didn't know what it meant to "go Goth." Thanks to my addiction to FR, I was not ignorant of this trend.

[elli1]

And THIS is supposedly the smartest woman in the world! NOT!

I've always been of the opinion that she married up.

[squirt-gun]

I gow two a govment scool. Mary Montis-soory kidds skore hier ten mee ery tim. Eyee hat thos skools

[Graybeard58]

Irregardless of this thread many will still misremember proper grammar anyway.

Don't misunderestimate us.

[Inspectorette]

Hey, Laz - howcome you're not over on the thread about why women earn less than men?

[Lee Heggy]

I will do my bestest...I reckon...I speck...

[Sloth]

Though many resist, I will continue to speak correctly, irregardless.

[RexBeach]

Dat chile iz oft dah mussel...dat 'cuaz he be jumpin cleen!...or my name isn't Larry!

[dighton]

dont jugde cletis,,,, him and me is best budys,,,,,,,,, we winned honers in speling and gramer at the harverd shcool, masachusits.

[dk/coro]

Regrettably, this phenomenon in American Education has been incrementally developing over the last several decades.

In the mid 40's I was afforded a scholarship to Culver Military Academy. Upon my arrival as a plebe, I was shocked to learn that I had a choice of taking either Latin or Greek. The romance languages were likewise available, but only as electives. The classics were compulsory. Further, there were but 10 to 12 cadets to a class, so the opportunity for any free rides were minuscule at best.

I was forced to learn the basics of English composition under acute duress. Our mid-term and final grades were posted publicly on the applicable classroom doors twice a semester, following final week. The bottom performers were subject to intense ridicule by their peers -- a true lesson in humility, I assure you.

Recently, I developed and implemented a seminar at a local college keyed to the issues posed in Huntington's "Clash".
In the course of the seminar, it was a true shock to my system to hear and read such crass abuses to the basic rules of syntax and grammar. To compound the issue, this class was composed of adults -- many of them professionals in the local community.

Where did we go so terribly wrong? The answer is self-evident; but that knowledge will not correct the damage done to the civility of our social discourse.

[UScbass]

I have met him quite often: Stuart Ped. To his close friends, he is known as Stu Ped.

[Steve0113]

... and motor oil is made from?

[Graybeard58]

I like these grammar threads but when commenting I always have a fear that I will make a grammatical error myself or an error in punctuation or spelling.

And starting a new paragraph with a conjunction would be the death of me.

Damn, it's difficult to be a perfectionist.

[MHT]

This is a direct result of three things: (1) English teachers no longer drill on either grammar or spelling; (2) students no longer are required to diagram sentences; and, (3) television personalities (including erudite news anchors) use improper grammar.

To remedy this: (1) teachers have to start teaching again, by (God forbid!) rote memorization and drills; (2) kids have to start deconstructing their language visually to understand its logic; and, (3) we need better educated people in broadcasting who can write correctly and ad-lib (or at least read) proper English.

[ThanhPhero]

Between each...

[Centurion2000]

College-level grammar lost on college students

Not to mention History & Geography.

And Civics, Mathematics, Sciences, the list has been replaced with items such as, Sex Education, TV Appreciation, Womyn's Studies.

I shudder to think about where this country will be in 100 years.

[VeritatisSplendor]

It isn't quite free of errors.

And there is no convincing me that I am wrong or that this mistake is not that big of a deal

should say "not that big a deal", not "not that big OF a deal".

[Puppage]

I shudder to think about where this country will be in 100 years

Not even that long...25-30 years should just about do it.

[Vor Lady]

Like your commet was so totally tubular. I'm mean, like the gag me with a spoon thing.