Word Crimes

[Well, Well, Well]

Well if grammar and morality are related, we might be closer and closer to an amoral existence.

However I think Al is really mocking people who put that much emphasis on grammar. Or just grammar nazis. Or I don't know, it works both ways.

[Skippy]

it works both ways.

Absolutely. Word Crimes is mocking people who don't even have a very basic grasp of grammar (who doesn't have at least one Facebook friend who regularly posts incoherent garbage?) AND condescending online grammar police who often make mistakes themselves. Just like TMZ mocked the bottom-feeding paparazzi as well as the shameless, irresponsible (sometimes criminal) celebrities who put themselves in the situations TMZ exploits.

[mellow weasel]

Whether that was all really Al's intent or not is debatable, of course. Still, I didn't expect to read such an astute analysis of "Words Crimes" in a random online article.

It reminds me of this:

But as long as it's possitive, it's nice

(who doesn't have at least one Facebook friend who regularly posts incoherent garbage?)

I don't. I intentionally alienate people with below-average grammar

[The Sporkman]

Remember those friends I told you about with poor grammar? One of them is a member of a Mom's groups that I am in, too. Every month, she'll make a list of things to do or questions to answer for each day. I found 6 grammar errors in the list for August. This is a grown woman!!
1. How old was you when you had your first job?
7. How old was you when you went on your first date?
14. How old was you when you first moved out?
21. If you seen someone fall would you stop to help them?
26. True or false: is Crocs the shoes made of plastic?
30. What is the strangest food you ate when you was a kid, and would you eat it again?

The "you was" conjugation is very common in AAVE and many Southern dialects. She's almost certainly aware of the "proper" SAE form.

[algonacchick]

Thanks for your responses, everyone. As far as where these ladies are from, all were born in Michigan, and lived there until they were adults. Some live in the South, and some still live in Michigan. The group is called Michigan Moms Cafe. After seeing my corrections, another friend in the group told me to knock it off. The lady who wrote the list said "I'm with Annette". I thought she meant she was physically there with Annette. Annette said "omg, no, she agree's with me". Seriously, an apostrophe in "agree's"?? Like Al said in the song "I give up". I just said "HAHA, oops!" in response to taking "I'm with Annette" out of context.
I know this song is mocking grammar Nazis, but it's also educational. I posted the video on my wall and dedicated to the two ladies I mentioned here. So far, only one "liked" it.

[Cameron the Taco]

The "you was" conjugation is very common in AAVE and many Southern dialects. She's almost certainly aware of the "proper" SAE form.

Is Old Person Vernacular English a thing? Because my grandpa says "you was" quite a bit.

[Skippy]

The "you was" conjugation is very common in AAVE and many Southern dialects. She's almost certainly aware of the "proper" SAE form.

Is Old Person Vernacular English a thing? Because my grandpa says "you was" quite a bit.

I imagine descriptivists will tell you that there an infinite number of "Vernacular Englishes" and each of them is equally correct.

[The Sporkman]

I imagine descriptivists will tell you that there an infinite number of "Vernacular Englishes" and each of them is equally correct.

Regional and ethnic patterns and variations exist and can be identified, classified, mapped out, and studied. It's systematic. It's not about "correct" or "incorrect." A dialect is the way it is. It's not about political correctness. It's science.

[Skippy]

Regional and ethnic patterns and variations exist and can be identified, classified, mapped out, and studied. It's systematic. It's not about "correct" or "incorrect." A dialect is the way it is. It's not about political correctness. It's science.

If it's not about "correct" or "incorrect," why do you take issue whenever someone points out a grammar mistake? If it was only about studying the way people talk scientifically (which I have no problem with at all) there would be no conflict with prescriptivist standards.

Not following the standard leads to confusion, miscommunication and assumptions about intelligence. That's why it's important to teach people that while their dialectical quirks are fine for communicating within that dialect, they become a hindrance when venturing outside of it. But when descriptivists say all dialects are correct (or whatever term you want to use) it discourages people from learning the standard rules and cripples their ability to communicate effectively.

You think, "Oh that lady knows the standard way to say it, but she's just using her regional/cultural dialect in an informal setting." But the truth is a LOT of people really don't know the standard, and they don't care because descriptivists keep telling them the rules are archaic and culturally insensitive.

Yesterday I saw someone write "kind've" instead of "kind of." This is the sort of absurdity we're heading toward if we continue to let things like "would of" slide.

[carlden10]

I invite you to laugh a little with my sincere tribute to "Weird Al" Yankovic.

PARODIZE [aka Word Crimes/Blurred Lines Parody]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skxd6TlFeUU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



No hard feelings .___.