This is a favorite topic of mine. Some folks like to talk History, some Science. Me? There's nothing more fun than talking about diagramming sentences and parsing verbs. Nope, not kidding. I've been teaching Grammar in homeschool co-ops for three years now and I love picking up that dry erase marker and asking that first question, "Who or what is acting?"
No, I don't lead a boring life and I'm not even remotely weird...well...I don't think so!
I have the typical likes: scrapbooking, photography, theatre/music/dance, food, etc.
But oh...to diagram a really long sentence! Fun, fun, fun.
Okay, enough about my heart palpitations. Let's talk turkey.
Grammar is a dying skill. I teach the best and the brightest. I'm not kidding - these are smart kids fully capable of learning the hardest grammar I can throw at them. I'm talking verbals, gerunds, and relative clauses. I'm talking cases and active versus passive voices. Diagrams, parsing, copia, imitations, paraphrase, etc. So why are they not doing it? Or why is Mom not stressing it?
Schools today hardly teach any of this. If you get out of junior high knowing the eight parts of speech you're doing good. Ugh.
Language is the art of communication. Communication keeps us in good standings with our allies and makes our enemies aware that we are a force to be reckoned with. Communication is power; the ability to share a valid opinion which may persuade the voter to make a better choice. The ability to demonstrate compassion and offer assistance in time of need.
In ancient Greece the spoken word was called rhetoric. It was an art form. Today rhetoric is reduced to use mainly by politicians and educators and preachers. The written word has replaced it and is an art form unto itself.
Yet it has become corrupted. How many books have you read with grammatical errors in them lately? Maybe a better question would be have you read any lately without grammatical errors? Self-publishing has done away with editors for the most part and the new ideal hardly garners merit of the term "ideal." Below average would better suit.
Yes it is easy to self-publish. It is a great opportunity for budding writers of various genres with quality information to share. Just do me one little wee favor and dust off your old grammar book, or pick up a shiny new one and review a little. Then, find a friend who, like me, is grammar crazy and ask them to edit your work. They may not find every mistake, but they will raise the bar in your work, which just may raise the bar for someone else...and so on...and so on.
No, I don't lead a boring life and I'm not even remotely weird...well...I don't think so!
I have the typical likes: scrapbooking, photography, theatre/music/dance, food, etc.
But oh...to diagram a really long sentence! Fun, fun, fun.
Okay, enough about my heart palpitations. Let's talk turkey.
Grammar is a dying skill. I teach the best and the brightest. I'm not kidding - these are smart kids fully capable of learning the hardest grammar I can throw at them. I'm talking verbals, gerunds, and relative clauses. I'm talking cases and active versus passive voices. Diagrams, parsing, copia, imitations, paraphrase, etc. So why are they not doing it? Or why is Mom not stressing it?
Schools today hardly teach any of this. If you get out of junior high knowing the eight parts of speech you're doing good. Ugh.
Language is the art of communication. Communication keeps us in good standings with our allies and makes our enemies aware that we are a force to be reckoned with. Communication is power; the ability to share a valid opinion which may persuade the voter to make a better choice. The ability to demonstrate compassion and offer assistance in time of need.
In ancient Greece the spoken word was called rhetoric. It was an art form. Today rhetoric is reduced to use mainly by politicians and educators and preachers. The written word has replaced it and is an art form unto itself.
Yet it has become corrupted. How many books have you read with grammatical errors in them lately? Maybe a better question would be have you read any lately without grammatical errors? Self-publishing has done away with editors for the most part and the new ideal hardly garners merit of the term "ideal." Below average would better suit.
Yes it is easy to self-publish. It is a great opportunity for budding writers of various genres with quality information to share. Just do me one little wee favor and dust off your old grammar book, or pick up a shiny new one and review a little. Then, find a friend who, like me, is grammar crazy and ask them to edit your work. They may not find every mistake, but they will raise the bar in your work, which just may raise the bar for someone else...and so on...and so on.
Then maybe our kids will see the bar and realize that anything worth doing, really is worth doing well.
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