How Important Is The Use Of Proper Grammar?
I overheard the following conversation between two intelligent looking teenagers on the subway about two weeks ago:
“Do you got any tic-tacs cause my breath is really oniony?” asks teenager number one.
“I don't buy those things. They're full of sugar, and sugar ain't no good for your teeth,” replies teenager number two.
I don't know about you, but their use of the English language made me cringe. Double negatives, poor sentence structure, and the like made what they where saying “painful to the ears”.
Does that really matter? In this 21st century where the use of coarse language seems to be the norm and “ain't” can be found in the dictionary, is using good grammar really important? Well,
if you intend to be a master in the art of conversation, good grammar is essential.
Never Judge a Book by Its Cover, But…
We've all heard the old adage “never judge a book by its cover”, but let’s face it, we all make snap judgments about every person we meet. The way someone dresses, his hairstyle, his
manner, and the way he speaks can make us think highly of that person, or not so highly.
How would you judge the two teenagers I overheard in the subway? What type of people do you think they are? Would you say they are intelligent and well educated? After hearing them speak, would
you want to employ them? Would you be interested in holding a lengthy conversation with them? These are very thought provoking questions aren't they? Ask yourself. What does the way I speak say about me?
English As a Second Language
Of course, we have to take into consideration that our society is a great melting pot filled with people from different countries where English is not the predominate language. Using good grammar may be much
more difficult for someone whose native tongue is a different language with its own sentence structure and grammatical rules.
We should all take our hats off to (or “give props to” if you prefer a more modern expression) people who have made the effort to learn our language.
English As a First Language
However, for those of us who have been speaking English since childhood, we should want to speak properly. Using good grammar shows that we are intelligent and educated. It tells our listeners that we not
only enjoy speaking, but also take pride in how we do it.
Of course we don't want to obsess about speaking properly so much that our speech sounds unnatural and snobbish, but as an artisan of good conversation, we want to use good grammar so that we can be well understood
and make a good, lasting impression on all who hear us.
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