What the heck is

[WebFreeman]

It's a natural evolution of the language. That's how English was born. It's basically half German, half French with a sprinkling of Scandinavian and now words from dozens of other languages.

The Internet, TV, media, etc. have made changes happen even faster. Traditional Ozarkian and Appalachian dialects (all but lost to history) are closer to Elizabethan (Shakespearian) English than what we speak now. True dialects faded with the advent of radio, TV and people moving “away” for college, careers, etc. We’re left with accents and blendings of dialects. Ain’t, the poster child for what we were all told wasn’t proper English, actually saw it’s first usage in print in 1695 and was used by the upper classes at the time.

We can't stop the "evolution" of the language. That being said, your daughter's English teacher is doing her a great disservice by allow her to use Internet slang in her writing. Obviously what’s appropriate for email, chat, and bulletin boards like this isn’t appropriate in other settings. That’s what your daughter’s teacher should be teaching.

I don’t mean to sound like a pompous English teacher, but this issue is important to me. I teach writing at OTC and I see so many students who have so little confidence in their ability to write. Language is a tool for us to use. Like fly fishing, too many people use language to define class and social status. But, that’s the way it is. How well would “prolly” be taken on a cover letter or college application?

Russ, thankfully you take enough interest in your daughter’s education to care. It’s important for her to know there is a time and place for any word. I had a Navy veteran in my class a few semesters ago and I asked if it was true about “cussing like a sailor.” He said it was worse. I then asked if he spoke to his mother like that. The answer, of course, was no. There is a time for cussing like a sailor, a time for “prolly.” There is also a time for “yes ma’am” and “probably” just like there is a time for zebra midges and for the proverbial red Hill’s Brother’s can or worms.

[crappiefisherman]

Im sorry If I was serious I might even use punctuation us crappie boys talk the jesters english,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Seriously education is very important to my family.Im proud to say my 3 children all are straight A students in Branson schools.From high school to elementary. If I could just get my son to call me dad instead of dude

[Terry Beeson]

Very well stated, CC and WebFreeman.

My mom was a teacher for 30 years in the Arkansas public school system. I'm apalled when I speak to some so-called educated people nowadays, including teachers. I wonder how some of them ever got through English 101 or even junior high English.

Colloqualisms have, and should be, allowed in everyday conversation and even with some degree of "author's license" in writing. However, as stated, how would it look on a resume? Depending on what the assignment was, I would hope that we still put some emphasis at some point on the difference in "creative" writing and "formal" writing. Which type was this and does your daughter know the difference or has this ever been explained?

My eleven year old (6th grade) daughter wrote a story recently about her horse for an assignment. It was a creative writing assignment, so proper grammer was not the BIG issue. The teacher did point out mistakes, but the students were given more points for their creativity and articulation than proper grammer.

Of course, the English and other languages have evolved over the centuries and Webster still adds new "words" every year. We have allowed conjunctions, acronyms, and other "improper" use of the language into our writings. The English language is still evolving and will continue to evolve.

Is it "wrong" that words such as "prolly" may someday be acceptable? Maybe we think so now, but since my youth, I have heard the word "probably" pronounced "prolly" by many individuals. If you look at many words in the current dictionary and study their history, you would find the same thing.

I, myself, strive to articulate my thoughts and feelings when writing in such a manner that preserves the acceptable grammer of the day. I use www.dictionary.com when I'm unsure of the spelling of a word. I re-read some postings before sending just to make sure I haven't erred. It goes back to my college days when you had to articulate to the instructors with proper language or you would be lowered by a grade or two.

We need to get back to the "ruler to the back of the hand" approach to keeping language just a bit more pure. But, I am not so convinced we are doomed to a failed society because of the evolution of the English language.

One story of note: (Disclaimer: Some of you use this, I'm sure. I do not fault you for this, but it will make the hair stand up on the back of my neck none the less...)

My English instructor in college was a novelist. He had published a couple of successful novels and was a writer for a couple of television shows and, if memory serves me, even co-wrote some screenplays.

Our class routine was to receive instruction followed by a writing assignment on Monday, due on Wednesday, and review on Friday. One of his pet peeves would drive him to a dramatic behavior at the beginning of class on Friday. If any student had used "alot" in their assigned writing, Mr. Gawtney would walk into the classroom, pick up a piece of chalk (pre-markerboard days), write "A" about two feet high on the left end of the 30 foot long chalk board, and then storm to the other end and write in letters just as big "LOT."

If you look in the dictionary, or check dictionary.com, you will find there is no such word as "alot." The proper use is "a lot" as in "We caught a lot of fish today." The closest word is "allot" as in "My dad would only allot me two worms to bait my hook."

The proper use of "a lot" and "allot" have stuck with me for the 30 years or so after completing that class. As has his zeal for keeping "creative" and "formal" writing in their place. Hopefully, I have maintained some degree of that difference...

[MrDucky]

Mrs. Ducky again...and as a teacher, I want to weigh in again.

I try hard to use proper grammar and punctuation, even on here. (That's how you can tell if it's me or Mr. Ducky. He never capitalizes anything!) However, I also don't want anyone to think I'm going to tear them apart if they don't. It has it's place, and on here, we are worried about the fishing, not the writing. (Although Terry's pieces are great!) We use a lot of slang and "short fors", which some people are not as familiar with. You can tell who spends too much time online! That being said, there are ways to figure them out. www.dictionary.com seems to include them in their listings. So, if you are unsure what lol means, or CMA (or CMR, gundog), you can look it up and not have to ask. All in all, this started as a simple question, and has become a major conversation about the downfall of the English language. It is evolution, and is caused by the passage of time. Look at Shakespeare's plays...they are made a lot longer by all the footnotes explaining what a word meant then, and why the jokes were funny! In another 400 years, who knows what English will look like...or if it will still be in use! Heck, by then we may all use telepathy! Meanwhile, back at the ranch...how 'bout those Colts?

[Rusty]

All in all, this started as a simple question, and has become a major conversation about the downfall of the English language. It is evolution, and is caused by the passage of time.

Is it evolution, or has time become such a precious commodity that evolution is taking a step backwards?

[Wayne SW/MO]

Its' health took a downturn shortly after the passage of the Civl Rights Act of 1968 when educational standards were loosened to accommodate less talented students in order to prevent the failure rate falling off of the scale.

It worsened immeasureably when it was mandated that students must be offered education in their native tongue rather than the prevailing national language.

The question became moot when perversions such as 'ebonics' were allowed.

It became terminal when real teachers were replaced by those with a union mindset.

They would never allow that, ........but they did.

The question is, What did we gain, and what did we lose?

[Terry Beeson]

Is it evolution, or has time become such a precious commodity that evolution is taking a step backwards?

If Shakespeare (or insert any writer pre-19th century) had transported in time to 1920, he would have said the same thing about the language of that time. Read the Declaration of Independance, Constitution, Gettysburg address even... Then read JFK's inaugaral (dang... can't believe I had to go to dictionary.com for THAT one... sheesh...) speech... THEN read Clinton's or Bush's.... Notice any differences? Ignore the fact that "professional speech writers" wrote the last two. Notice the differences in dialect and use of words by Jefferson et al, Lincoln, and the pros.

Look in archives for letters written in the 18th and 19th centuries. Now sit down and try to write a very similar one. I would be willing to wager that our dear Mr. Cripple Caddis may be the only one that could come close. (Dang, Tom... are you THAT old?... )

Why is it the Brits speak a "different" language than we do? What about those from Oz? (Hey Steve! G'day Mate!)... With a very eclectic mix of people in our melting pot, the language and dialect has evolved and with mass media and our present mobility, I venture to guess it will evolve even faster and even at such a pace that one day there may well be only one "Earth" language with some smatterings of dialect.

Our language has evolved and IS evolving. Is it going backwards? Alas, verily I say to thou, thou mayest well be correct in thy assumptions... But we've never been able to preserve "the king's English" over the centuries.

(By the way... Just FYI... Don't give Steve - aka BDS - the "thumbs up." Right Steve?)

[MrDucky]

Why dose Mrs.Ducky have to use me in all her examples Geesh!!!!!! good thing you dont need periods or commas or heck capitals to fish

[Terry Beeson]

(Mrs Ducky) - "Quit a-makin' that rackitt, Ducky... Ya sound like an ol' bar!" (Loretty Lynn to "Dew" aka "Mooney" Lynn in Coal Miner's Daughter...)

It's kuz she LUVS yew, Ducky... you ol' bar!

Uh.... Wait.... You mean you don't need capitals to fish?

[Crippled Caddis]

[quote name='Wayne The question is, What did we gain, and what did we lose?

We lost 2 generations + of high school 'graduates' to virtual illiteracy. We lost a lot of good minds to poor parenting, boredom, non-challnging curricula and, all-too-often, inadequte teaching. The number of new university students who must take remedial English smacks of criminal inadequacy in their prior education.

We gained a couple of generations of college 'graduates' whose overall educational background cannot compare to that of a high school graduate of a half century ago.

We gained an electorate that is so abysmally ignorant that it believes almost any sort of half truth or political spin by media and politicians. We lost control of our government and our future.

Terry wrote:

<Dang, Tom... are you THAT old?>

Getting there Buddy----getting there.