Pompous Grammarians

It happens without fail. Someone writes a Letter to the Editor about "proper punctuation." The only problem is that the letter itself has a grammatical error.

Take today's Advertiser:
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Sep/21/op/FP509210321.html

Anyway, according to this book, I am a "stickler" and proper punctuation is an endangered species.

That sentence is missing a comma, which would separate the two independent clauses. It should read:

Anyway, according to this book, I am a "stickler," and proper punctuation is an endangered species.

I know, I know. This kid is in the seventh grade, so I should have some mercy. But while the letter was written in jest, it still exhibited a kind of pompousness that gets me steamed. I believe in good grammar, and for the sake of the language, we should watch each others' grammar. On top of that, I do believe the print media should be held to an even greater standard than the everyday person.

Yet, when the day ends, and we all go home, grammar is just a set of rules that some people know - and use - better than others. That's it. I just don't think grammar is something that people should be beating their chests over. Oh, for the traditionalists, let me phrase it this way: I just don't think grammar is something over which people should be beating their chests.

Good night!

Posted by ruth at September 21, 2005 07:40 PM

COMMENTS:

I would write it:
Anyway, according to this book, I am a "stickler"! Proper punctuation is an endangered species.
But datz me and I write & spell however the hellway I please ~ in my blog anyway. I think because of the interent there is a literary feedom or creative license with punctuations. If you understand what the person is trying to say why ask why the punctuations are where they are or are not. But datz me. :)
Posted by: Lika on September 22, 2005 06:37 AM

My suspicion is that newspapers only run spelling, grammar, and punctuation rants when there is a spelling, grammar, or punctuation error in them.
Posted by: Ryan on September 22, 2005 08:59 AM

Esclamation mark should be within the quotation. "Stickler!" instead of "stickler"!
Posted by: jj on September 23, 2005 03:36 AM

Agree with that last paragraph. After all, worrying too much about preposition position is something up with which Winston Churchill would not put. :)
Posted by: Keith on September 26, 2005 10:29 PM