Grammar, not Jim, or Jan, or Katie

[John Hofstetter <hofs@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

on 7/15/03 7:39 PM, Binder at binder@domain.elided wrote:

> Youre correct, John... those ""s can really grow on you.
> 
> Cheers All,
> 
> --Pete

Pete,

That's a kick in the pants. I'm on my laptop for the next month or so, and
on Outlook Express, so no "O's" for a while.

On the subject of grammar, I headed up new teacher hiring committees for
many years. The committee was made up of half teachers and half
administrators. I always asked a grammar question and always caught hell for
asking it from the rest of the committee.

But, who wants to hire a teacher that can't demonstrate English language
competency? Not I!

Often I would pretend I couldn't remember the name of the book by John
Hersey and when they would sometimes come up with "For Whom the Bell Tolls",
I would say that the title interested me, and why did didn't he just say,
"Who does the Bell Toll For"?  Anyway the person chose to answer the
question gave me good information about the candidate.

I still feel obligated to correct my daughter's near-perfect English, but it
pisses her off when I do. Her problem is nominative or objective case
pronouns. Example: The dog is going along with Bill and I.

I'm going to cc this to Allan E. because he is a very strong advocate of a
GOOD education. 

I went to Grammar School to my mother who was a very excellent teacher. I
went to High School in what seemed to be a good school. I went to a State
University for my BA and my MA.

Yet, a couple of good friends who went to Parochial School in the Midwest
and in the affluent Monterey knew about things in English that I'd never
heard of. And, they learned this in High School!

Example: If it were I, I'd do it.   Why is the correct verb "were"?  My
friend from Indiana knew. Sister Mary Agnes had beaten it into her head, so
to speak. 

Example #2: On the trip were Bill, Joe, and myself. Why is the use of myself
incorrect?  My friend from Monterey, CA knew because some grammar fanatic
who was also religious, I would assume based on the school in which he was
teaching, equated reflexive pronouns with the Ten Commandments.

I didn't get a very good education and I could have used one. But, I learned
so much from what I taught! What a privilege and obligation to teach.

John Hofstetter