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<blockquote data-quote="Pielorinho" data-source="post: 3684229" data-attributes="member: 259"><p>Agreed sort of with the first part. Humans appear to have a "language instinct": unlike any other creature, we seem to naturally develop, around the age of two years, the ability to string performed abstract symbols together within a grammar to construct infinite meanings. No nonverbal human society exists. Reading and writing, however, are inventions, and there appears to be no "reading instinct." As such, written language is entirely learned, whereas spoken language literally comes naturally to us.</p><p></p><p>But I don't necessarily agree with the second part of your statement. Some instances of written language are held to a lower standard than some instances of spoken language. A presidential candidate who can give a rockin improvised stump speech will impress me, even if her grocery list is full of incomprehensible abbreviations. That's an extreme case, but it's true in plenty of other circumstances as well.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Definitely!</p><p></p><p>That's sheerest opinion, but it's something I agree with <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />.</p><p></p><p>If it's truly a mistake, then sure, you're right. But sometimes things fail to conform with standard rules and yet they convey meaning clearly. "Ain't I a woman?" is a grammar mistake (in one meaning of "grammar, certainly not the linguists' meaning), but it conveys meaning on multiple levels, at least one of which depends upon its nongrammatical nature. "Baby got back" is similarly effective: compare it to "The baby has a large posterior," which, while more grammatical, is less evocative.</p><p></p><p></p><p>I disagree with this. It's best to speak and write as a private individual aware of one's audience and capable of communicating in the most effective way with the intended audience: this means being aware of the audience's expectations and capabilities, among other factors. If you know that your audience has trouble with the subjunctive mood, for example, you may certainly choose to provide a minilesson in grammar to the audience. You may choose, equally wisely, to forego the indicators of the subjunctive mood in order to communicate your message more transparently.</p><p></p><p>Absolutely agreed! All languages are adaptable, of course, but English, by virtue of its motley pedigree, is adaptable in a particularly cool way IMO. It's not the most mellifluous language, not the most rhythmic or lyrical, but it sure does change good.</p><p></p><p>Daniel</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Pielorinho, post: 3684229, member: 259"] Agreed sort of with the first part. Humans appear to have a "language instinct": unlike any other creature, we seem to naturally develop, around the age of two years, the ability to string performed abstract symbols together within a grammar to construct infinite meanings. No nonverbal human society exists. Reading and writing, however, are inventions, and there appears to be no "reading instinct." As such, written language is entirely learned, whereas spoken language literally comes naturally to us. But I don't necessarily agree with the second part of your statement. Some instances of written language are held to a lower standard than some instances of spoken language. A presidential candidate who can give a rockin improvised stump speech will impress me, even if her grocery list is full of incomprehensible abbreviations. That's an extreme case, but it's true in plenty of other circumstances as well. Definitely! That's sheerest opinion, but it's something I agree with :). If it's truly a mistake, then sure, you're right. But sometimes things fail to conform with standard rules and yet they convey meaning clearly. "Ain't I a woman?" is a grammar mistake (in one meaning of "grammar, certainly not the linguists' meaning), but it conveys meaning on multiple levels, at least one of which depends upon its nongrammatical nature. "Baby got back" is similarly effective: compare it to "The baby has a large posterior," which, while more grammatical, is less evocative. I disagree with this. It's best to speak and write as a private individual aware of one's audience and capable of communicating in the most effective way with the intended audience: this means being aware of the audience's expectations and capabilities, among other factors. If you know that your audience has trouble with the subjunctive mood, for example, you may certainly choose to provide a minilesson in grammar to the audience. You may choose, equally wisely, to forego the indicators of the subjunctive mood in order to communicate your message more transparently. Absolutely agreed! All languages are adaptable, of course, but English, by virtue of its motley pedigree, is adaptable in a particularly cool way IMO. It's not the most mellifluous language, not the most rhythmic or lyrical, but it sure does change good. Daniel [/QUOTE]
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