Grammar is an elusive practice to me. How many times can a teacher say, “that is just the way English is” before I realize that there is no reason behind grammar? A lot. Specifically, 16 years worth of English classes a lot. My family is from deep in Texas, south of San Antonio. I grew up with a weird amalgamation of Spanish, redneck, and creole being spoken around my dinner table. And all these years later it still hard to reconcile that bastardized English with exercises asking for antecedent agreement. Growing up where “yawnt to?” (do you want to?), “y’all” (you all) and “yonder” (over by where I’m pointing) aren’t just punch lines for a redneck joke but how your grandmother actually communicates, my AP stylebook may as well be my Bible as I clutch it looking for answers.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Grammar Challenges
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Ew. That one word. Y'all (which I just found out is not ya'll, which proves I'm totally not from the South) So cringe worthy. My extended family is so uncultured (AKA: ghetto for lack of a bette word) when it comes to speaking and grammar. They tell me I speak and write 'proper' which is rather ironic considering how much I actually struggle with grammar.
ReplyDeleteAhh. The AP Stylebook. My savior.
I can just imagine how hard that must be, with all of those of influences. But your writing is very effective and comedic.
ReplyDeleteI find that the more time I spend with my family, the more "y'all" creeps into my vocabulary. This gets embarrassing when we come back from summer and on the first day of lab I tell the students "Y'll are all going to get through this." Thanks for making me laugh!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I am clutching my AP Stylebook too! Looks like the quiz for sections C&D is next Tuesday!
ReplyDeleteI have lived in Oklahoma for the past eleven years of my life. Just as you will cling to your style book, I will cling to my Northern roots and pray that an accent never comes. I have never used the word y'all. Instead I use the much more proper, yuse guys.
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