What Our Written Language Illustrates About Our Culture
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- Barbara Bell
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Suzanne Hill
- jerrib
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Suzanne Hill
- jerrib
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» Barbara Bell - I'm feeling my age...
Is it another sign of a generation gap that I can actually understand the Joseph Addison excerpt, and will admit that I have actually read Addison's works?We've missed your own excellent writing here, Suzanne. You are so very articulate, and this reader admires your carefully crafted sentences and proper grammar!
For a really shocking example of the way middle-school teens talk and write today, you might want to visit the Youth Corner COI and read some of the ongoing discussions. Setting aside the subject matter, one is dismayed at the "shorthand" spelling and crude forms of expression. It is very much like learning to read a foreign language, but if you are determined to understand the points they are trying to make, you can get through it.
We can, and often do, blame the proliferation of the Internet for this laziness of attitude toward spelling and grammar. However, I well remember a time in the early 1970's when teachers began encouraging young writers to ignore spelling and just "write" - it was much more important for their self-esteem to be able to express themselves without inhibition.
I receive applications from fourteen-year-olds on a regular basis, who think they are wise enough to advise their peers on any number of topics. In every case their writing ability is seriously limited. I tell myself these are the bright ones, who really want to write, who really have something to say and these should be encouraged. But I'm frustrated by the level of labor required of me to constantly correct or explain the proper ways to express themselves.
The best antidote, in my opinion, is to expose our children to more, and better, reading choices. Encouraging a child to read Tolkien, or C.S. Lewis, or Johanna Spyri, will do much to open their minds to the beauty of well-written prose.
-- posted by Barbara Bell
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Suzanne Hill
- Re: I'm feeling my age...
Thank you for your comments, Barbara. I visited the Youth COI, and I see what you mean about the shorthand. I agree with your selection of great books to expose young children to.
Thanks again,
Suzanne
-- posted by Suzanne Hill
» jerrib - Suzanne
Just the other day I was playing Scrabble with my grandchildren. They had grabbed an older dictionary which I later scanned. There were so many words that aren't even in the dictionary today. Then, looking at a new dictionary, I was stunned by the content, a lot of it from our "cyber-byte" society that's becoming the norm today.I love our language and am frightened by what I see. After reading your article I am also frightened at what our school kids are not learning. Discipline is good for all, especially in learning English. But kids don't seem to get it anymore.
I would not be happy being an educator who is not allowed to teach a strong language foundation. My goodness, all that is taught does not have to be fun, which is what I see in the schools today.
I used to spend hours as a child looking through the dictionary. It was fun to me. Today's kids, a lot of them, prefer to play video games. My 13-year-old grandson does play a mean Scrabble, though, so maybe they are getting more of a foundation than we think.
-- posted by jerrib
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Suzanne Hill
- Re: Suzanne
Hi Jerri,
So nice to hear from you!
I'm worried too about what's happening in our classrooms. I have sat through so many classes myself simply shocked at what's being taught -- while no one says a thing or questions the professor. I've learned not to say much because I really get attacked and I'm sick of having to defend myself. It's an insane situation where commonsense seems to have disappeared and good old traditional values are reviled. Well I could go on and on. And I hate to seem like I'm denigrating the profession I want to be part of. But a depressing thought for me is - just where would I fit in as a teacher? I hope to find a private school teaching solid traditional instruction.
Well, what are we to do?
Talk to you soon,
Suzanne
-- posted by Suzanne Hill
» jerrib - Re: Re: Suzanne
In response to message posted by suzannemhill:I'm sure you'll find a fit.
About speaking out: don't stop. I was in a junior college in the 70's when the instructor of sociology told the class that incest would be accepted one day! Boy, did I ever speak up. I was in my 20's and couldn't believe he said that to the young folks in his class. He didn't like me much, but I was not going to sit there and accept what he said.
We need folks who speak up, and maybe we need parents to get involved in PTSA and get things "back to basics." But then, maybe parents are why schools have changed their curriculum. Who knows. But it's great you recognize what's going on and write about it. That encourages discussion and change.
Great job on this!
-- posted by jerrib
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