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Originally posted by MissOleumThat would cause more problems than it would solve, I feel. What happens when the student has to make the transition from communicative to standard English but they can't differentiate between "there", "their" and "they're", for example on legal documents? You can't have three different words all meaning the same three things: ambiguity can cause a lot of problems. It's ok on an internet forum or whatever, but not on any documentation that has importance in the real world.
Should there perhaps be two levels of acceptable English: the standard variety, with its extensive vocabulary, grammar, punctuation and sentence structure, which is such a pleasure to read; and the "communications" variety, where they're and their and there are interchangeable and apostrophes run riot?
you get a "student language" when you're learning computer programming, they don't chuck you straight into VB or whatever - so why not with English? Grade 2 kids don't read and write standard English, they have a cutdown version with short words and basic sentence construction. The trouble starts when adults think Grade 2 standard is where they should stay, but they want fullsize sentences which look like adult communication.
and before anybody shouts "anal-retentive" that's idiotspeak for "too lazy or stupid to take any trouble so I'll slag off anybody who does" 😳
Originally posted by MissOleumChrist! Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill.
English has now become the language in which most of the world communicates. Human beings usually become reasonably literate in their own language, but "broken English" is where those of us who use it as a second language usually find themselves.
This poses a problem for native English speakers. If we insist on a reasonable standard of grammar and p ...[text shortened]... " variety, where they're and their and there are interchangeable and apostrophes run riot?
Because a few pedantic mooks on an internet forum complain about punctuation and grammar standards, you think slang should be turned into an official 'alternate version' of the English language?
Originally posted by MissOleumGo to any international scientific conference and you'll see that an alternative form of English (that could be called International English) already exists.
you get a "student language" when you're learning computer programming, they don't chuck you straight into VB or whatever - so why not with English? Grade 2 kids don't read and write standard English, they have a cutdown version with short words and basic sentence construction. The trouble starts when adults think Grade 2 standard is where they should st ...[text shortened]... ak for "too lazy or stupid to take any trouble so I'll slag off anybody who does" 😳