Sign seen in the parking lot:

.Library
Patrons
Parking
..Only

Correct? Incorrect?

We've been discussing it (link) over in another thread. Nothing much shocks me any more when it comes to language. You could deep six the apostrophe tomorrow and I wouldn't blink an eye. Our spelling, punctuation, and everything else is so broken, nothing matters. everything is allowed.

Sorry about that, boss!

quote:

Originally posted by zmježd:
Our spelling, punctuation, and everything else is so broken, nothing matters. everything is allowed.

The descriptivist agenda revealed!

The descriptivist agenda revealed!

Drats! Foil'd ag'in.

With a little kicking and screaming (and then giving in thinking I'll be able to collect a few posts!), our organization is requiring a business grammar and proofreading course. Here's the email we got:

quote:

This one-day workshop that features a “no-fear approach” to business grammar and proofreading skills. This skill-packed program has been designed for busy professionals who want a super-fast, easy way to brush up on grammar, spelling, proofreading, and business usage. A more detailed description of the course content can be found by referencing the link provided below.

Here's the link. Get that first "sentence!" It's a bit ironic, don't you think, that the email requiring this class on grammar can't even present a complete sentence?

I was really annoyed with the "no-fear" approach. How condescending! I am going to be loaded for bear that day...and most likely will do a lot of posting after the entire day spent talking about grammar!

Oh dear.

Even if they could deliver all they promise they can't possibly fit it all into one day. This part taken from their Web site more or less at random looks ominous: How to use active verbs and voice to communicate more powerfully.

I guess I should start a business to help customers (or patrons) to recover from bad usage advice masquerading as grammar rules ...

Nice link, goofy. I enjoyed the post and the comments, and I see you were a commenter! One person asked this:

quote:

I don't know what the answer is, except to push back, to show that some of these rules are downright silly.

That's what I've done. The Chicago Manual of Style, in my opinion, is pretty objective, and I've shown that to our editors. I've also sent Language Log links to people. Penn, Stanford, Edinburgh, and the like, have their influence on people, and I make sure they know where those bloggers are from. [And there...I ended a sentence with a preposition!]