Posted by Ilene on August 25, 2004, at 19:20:38
In reply to Apostrophe Abuse, posted by Miss Honeychurch on August 25, 2004, at 12:54:46
In my daughter's high school they were not allowed to teach grammar or diagram sentences. I'm not sure why, since I don't think they were wedded to the whole language approach to teaching, which is more appropriate to the primary grades, anyway.
I used to be a spelling snob until I met a very intelligent person who could hardly spell. I think it's partly an inborn skill. If you are a visual thinker you will find it easier to spell. I used to think you would be good at geometry, too, but my son is putting the lie to that notion. He can spell but he can't visualize planes.
The history of spelling and grammar is interesting. Noah Webster is the reason why we American spell "honor" without the letter "u", for example. "Scissors" and "scythe" used to be spelled w/out the letter "c". It was inserted to be more like Latin words relating to cutting. I believe the use of "one" as opposed to the more natural "you" was modeled on the French "on". (On dit....) And the double negative was expelled from polite conversation by some nitpicking pedant.
BTW, a Washington bureaucrat nearly lost his job over the correct use of the word "niggardly".
poster:Ilene
thread:382165
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20040820/msgs/382329.html