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Path: utzoo!linus!security!genrad!grkermit!masscomp!clyde!floyd!harpo!eagle!allegra!alice!rabbit!jj
From: jj@rabbit.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: good grammar--An example in itself
Message-ID: <2311@rabbit.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 20-Dec-83 13:41:59 EST
Article-I.D.: rabbit.2311
Posted: Tue Dec 20 13:41:59 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 22-Dec-83 04:41:22 EST
References: <428@ihuxq.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 68


	Those of you who dismiss grammatical precision as unnecessary
	fail to understand the nature of grammar.  It was not imposed
	from above--it evolved.  It underlies the way we think.
<speak for yourself>
	I make my subjects and verbs agree, I keep pronouns close to their
	antecedents, because something in human brains wants to put the world
	together that way.
<Oh, is that so? >
		  Grammar is thus an aid to conversation, not a
	nuisance.  Indeed, sloppy writing implies sloppy thinking (which is why
	I would not hire a person whose resume contained grammatical errors).
<Curious that the standard form for resumes requires non-grammatical constructs,
what DO you expect?>
	I maintain (flame on):
	
	   *** IF YOU CAN'T WRITE IT RIGHT, YOU CAN'T THINK IT RIGHT. ***
	
	So, put that in your smoke and pipe it.
<Who's piping WHAT tune, eh?  Rince Philib a Choeil!>
	-- 
	                    *** ***
	JE MAINTIENDRAI   ***** *****
	                 ****** ******
	ken perlow       *****   *****
	(312)979-7261     ** ** ** **
	..ihnp4!ihuxq!ken   *** ***

Well, Mr. Perlow, I think you've summed up a philosophy that makes you
elegible for "Most Close Minded <deleted> of 1983".

"If you can't write it right, you can't think it right."
First off, you can't even capitalize it right, so you've
disqualified your own obnoxious generality.  Furthermore,
what are all those superfluous asterisks for?

"Sloppy grammar implies sloppy thinking"  Okay, you've just slandered
everyone alive today.  Maybe the human race should start a
class action suit against you?  Should I ask for the name of your lawyer,
or do you actually have PROOF of your offensive statement?  <Come to 
think of it, providing references is also part of correct writing
proceedure, so I guess I should take your own incorrectly capitalized
generality and use it to justify ignoring your prejudicial comments
about the human race, since you clearly haven't written your comments
in the right way.>

Frankly, Mr. Perlow, I don't disagree with the need for a standard
(and "correct") grammar.  I do object to your spreading the idea
that all who fail to use perfect grammar are sub-human and unintellegent.
If you can't separate the argument (assuming it's well enough stated to
understand, of course)  from the grammar, that is a problem of your
own making, and will eventually your downfall, since it's clear that
"Fire!" and similar expressions of alarm will pass you by.

If you really want to improve the grammar, spelling, etc. on the
net, I suggest that you practice putting your arguments into a form
that will ENcourage people, rather than a form that prompts them
to write flames like this one.  A lot of us grew up with so many
examples of negative reinforcement that we've become immune to
it.  <Consider that last sentence, sir, it bears a wealth of information!>

And, since you insist on saying it, what does
"JE MAINTIENDRAI"
mean, anyhow?
===============================
>From the mildly jaundiced pen of

	rabbit!jj