Recently we've had some discussions on Wordcraft about use of words (such as "anyways" or "less people" or "too nice of a person"). We are, in general, an educated bunch with higher than average intelligence and good debating abilities. Yet, tempers have flared, feelings have been hurt, and people have gotten angry. There have been comments made that we shouldn't use the words prescriptivist or descriptivist anymore because they are divisive.
I wonder why language discussions create this kind of angst. Is it insecurity about one's writing skills? I am not sure, but one thing I am sure about is that I will continue to use the prescriptivist and descriptivist terms. They are descriptive words, and I see no reason why they should be thrown out.
Lord Byron said, “Words are things, and a small drop of ink, falling like dew upon a thought, produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” Language is indeed beautiful, and I will write about my love of words and poetry, including limericks and double dactyls. As the name of this Blog indicates, I will periodically comment on my favorite word. I hope my words will stimulate your thinking...and comments.
About Me
- Kalleh
- Chicago, Illinois, United States
- There's not a lot about me, really. I am fairly mundane. I was raised on a farm in Wisconsin, but always loved the big city. I absolutely adore Chicago. We might not have that wonderful weather of California or the history of the east coast (or Europe) or beauty of mountains...but it's a fine city. While I've been in nursing education most of my adult life, a few years ago I became interested in words, language and linguistics. My husband and I started a Web site, Wordcraft (www.wordcraft.infopop.cc), and my pursuits of words and language have been uphill ever since. Love the people there, too. Oh, and I have 3 beautiful children whom I am very proud of. But let's get down to epicaricacy. Please talk to me here because I am definitely a social being! And thanks for coming!
Web sites
- American Dialect Society
- Anagram Server
- Double Dactyl
- Dr. Grammar
- Eggcorn Database
- Epicurious
- Etymology Online
- Examining the OED
- Free Rice
- German/English Words
- Grandiloquent Dictionary
- Hyperdictionary
- Jesse Sheidlower's Site
- Luciferous Logolepsy
- OEDILF
- Online Books
- Online Thesaurus
- Phrontistery
- Poetry Society of America
- Queen's English Society
- Shakespeare Online
- Silva Rhetoricae
- Take Our Word
- The Devil's Dictionary
- Tiscali Dictionary of Difficult Words
- Unusual Words
- Verbatim
- Verbivore
- William Shakespeare Elizabethan Dictionary
- Word Detective
- Wordcraft
- World Wide Words
- Worthless Word for the Day
Blogs I Find Interesting
- A Cuban in London
- Alan's Blog
- Bradshaw of the Future
- Caterwaulling
- epea pteroenta
- Fritinancy
- Glottopedia
- Is It Irony?
- jerrys-house
- Language Log
- Languagehat
- Lexiophiles
- Motivated Grammar
- Mr. Verb
- Nathan Bierma
- nurse connect
- Out of the Middens; Straight from the Heart
- The Hitting the Road Again Blues
- The Longest Words in the English Language
- The Sperical Influence
- Uncle Jazzbeau's Gallimaufrey
3 comments:
Our society puts a very high value on being "well spoken." Proper use of language, whether written or spoken, marks a person as cultured or well educated. Amongst a group of language lovers, emotions predictably run high and egos are on the line in discussions of proper usage. For us, language is religion and prescriptivism could be regarded as linguafundamentalism.
Hello Shoshana,
I think you are right. I wasn't educated in linguistics or even in English. I suppose I'd feel the same way about nursing. I do, though, think that too much emphasis is put on some of the nuances of word use and/or punctuation.
BTW, I have it on the best authority that you've moved to Portland. Congratulations, and I hope you are enjoying it. I happen to be there right now.
I think it's a pride of education that makes people's emotions run hot sometimes. We all like to think we're smart. :-) I guess that's about the same thing Shoshana said, but I figure it's nice to have support.
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