Grammar – Call them Guru’s, not the other word.

I shudder at the thought of this blog. Grammar, you see, is not my forte. If you have read any of my other blogs you will see exactly what I mean.

With hesitation I entered the room holding this panel. Hesitation and I are old friends. I was late, from my fear of what I would be told. A chair in the back, against the wall, on both sides, it was a trap. Four passionate, articulate, erudite panellists follow me with their eyes as I crept into the room. The lady beside me smiled as I sat. Perhaps she was happy not to be alone at the back. As with most panel discussions the front seats were packed.

The Guru’s were in the midst of a discussion on split infinities – I wondered if this was a Star Trek panel by mistake. Things were dangling and unmodified, I was scared maybe I was a participle, I tend to think that I am unmodified. Then they launched into a discussion on the application of Latin rules on Germanic words, I just wanted to know about english, Danke!

From there we lept into a discussion of reference books, and websites and and and ALWAYS ASK! Trust some grammar “GURU” will tell you.

All in all I had a wonderful time in the grammar workshop – Thanks – Andrea Howe, Constantine Kaoukakis, Ian Alexander Martin, Nola Sarina

I have one observation to make about this discussion on grammar, no one went over what the “rules” were. The discussion was primarily about “exceptions” to the rule. When you are as weak in grammar as I am, just starting out, a review of the “rules” would have been great.

The discussion of grammar and the language surrounding this discussion is something that I am just learning. Last year I don’t think I knew about active and passive voice. I still don’t understand it all the time, but at least I know they exist now! And who knew that adverbs were bad! I absolutely, positively, completely did not know they were so evil!

I will attend another session on grammar; I always enjoy when someone speaks passionately and intelligently about a subject. I will still sit in the back, but I will be early.

Here are my stream of consciousness notes.

You must have good grammar – lee-way depending on voice

First Person view gets away with more grammar –

Query letter and writing should be at the same level

The pronoun “I” between you and me – don’t end a sentence in a preposition?? Is no longer incorrect –

Don’t split – an infinite is ok –

The Latin rules were applied to Germanic words – “To Boldly Go” is fine –

English is a living language – Webster’s 11 edition otherwise we would still be on Webster’s first –

Don’t use “LITERALLY” –

Are you done your sandwich – is it western sandwich – regionalism –

BBQ – verging nouns…intercoursing creating a verb. –

Grammar people are passionate about grammar – more so than other parts of writing –

Is it a hard or soft “H” – h gets the “an” – depends how old you are…

Diagramming sentences —

Inviting new words – how we write –

Switch the pronouns he and him –

Lay is for objects – lie is for yourself

More concerned about being nice –

Grammar people are very ADD –

Present perfect tense…???

If I don’t use, I lose it…

Where do I learn it now…

Good Grammar Books – Gregg reference manual –

Primary form of communication

Humor gets in the way of everything done –

Inundated with wrong grammar – the impact of visual –

Reference book

What are the rules –

Great discussion and passion –

Quotations must be

Subject and predicate on both sides of the semi-colon.

Grammatically correct but not style correct

Grammar podcast –

Fowler’s book for example’s Fowler’s use of English – 11?9?

Be consistent –

Writing about communicate and get to a wider audience – is the author voice correct …losing immersion by using

Grammar girl – GRAMMARLY – promote literacy

Strive to talk English good –

Don’t know something – ask – find out