Vote for Garner!

I never thought a debate about language and grammar could get so heated up. I feel like I am in a presidential campaign 3 weeks before elections. And just like elections I always have aside to pick and I will stick to this side throughout my whole blog. After reading the four intense discussions led by Robert Lane Greene and Bryan A. Garner on the argument about labeling themselves and other writers as a “descriptivist” or as a “prescriptivist”.  Just to give a quick lesson on what they both are a descriptivist describes language as it is being used while a prescriptivist focuses on how language should be used. I must say it took me  while to get onto the whole grammar talk conversation, but It was simple enough to notice that Greene was clearly a “descriptivist” while Garner a “prescriptivist”. It’s interesting to read how they attacked each other without directly being rude or being personally offensive, but instead they just played with words like Greene labeling a prescritivist for “imposing bogus rules on school children.” This was the first signal that led me to believe BAM we have a winner and he is a descriptivist!  He really isn’t ashamed he just “opens fire” to inaugurate the grand linguistic battle and states that when it comes to language there is a set of standard conventions that everyone needs.  He is so confident that he even goes on about how a highly respected writer such as  E.B. White, made an unforgivable mistake when it came to “which” and “that” on one of his essays. Wow he really went for it you would think the respect one must have towards those writers in unbreakable and nonnegotiable, but apparently not.  What are they thinking of him right this moment,(it would be awkward if they were already dead lol) I mean I’m going to take the prescriptivists attitude and shout out “ HEY he meant for the sentence to be used that way!”  Ironically now that I view him as a dictator of language he then goes on to saying, “you’re free to refer relative pronouns for different kinds of clauses on the principle of ‘one word for one function, wherever possible’.”

Well that was a lot to swallow, but now it’s Graner’s turn and he is not taking it easily. Just by reading his title you can tell he is not pleased with being name called behind his back. His article is called The Labels are Burning and he wastes no time in clearing his reputation.  He explains one of the most logical and balanced explanations during this write-off when he states that if you want to be highly literate, but not an obsessive user of language- you are prescribing. Garner 1, Greene 0! But he is not done yet. This next part reminds me of the letter we read for our timed writing from Samuel Johnson because they both prepare the reader in order to control their reaction now that the message is not going to be pretty. He defines a descriptivist just like Greene defined a perscriptivist by saying,” you’d object I assume, if I were to define descriptivist as quantative social scientist with no interest in literary style.” I am going to agree 100% on this and I will amazingly finish my blog with his final words because even though the essay on quotations thinks I’m loosing credibility I just can’t say better than he can.

“We could go a long way toward reconciling the language wars if linguistics and writers like you would stop demonizing all prescriptivists and start acknowledging that the reputable ones have always tried to base their guidance on sound descriptions.”