by
Julie Demoff-Larson
They call themselves grammar Nazis. You know who you
are and we know you are watching. No matter what the words may be written on or
what form it is presented, these masters of language will judge your writing by
the errors you failed to recognize even after your fifth edit. Don’t get me
wrong, we need these readers to point out the comma splices, run-ons and
dangling participles. Well written grammar represents professionalism and an
astute understanding of the function of language. In academics, this is called
prescriptive grammar and grammarians that follow this line are strict when it
comes to the use of form and function in the English language. However,
stringent rules don’t always lend to creativity in writing, but in order for
writers to play with form they must first understand the rules.
I personally wrestle with grammar. Sometimes it has
me in a headlock, but if I can break free and get a grip on it then the outcome
is usually worth the effort. My problems with grammar stem from a lack of
formal training. In high school, months were spent discussing, reading, and
acting out Macbeth and endless
vocabulary review, but never once was diagramming sentences introduced. It is
now, after almost five years into my education, that I find my footing is a bit
more stable when I am writing.
When writers understand the form and function of a
sentence there is a confidence that comes through in their work. And when the
rules are understood, then they can be broken. The writer can then experiment
with the form to create tone, humor, and pace.
Descriptive grammar, the practice of looking at language through social
observation, tends to define the creative writer’s understanding of
language. Observation is relative to
distinguishing what is appropriate and inappropriate use of language, which is
key for the creation of compelling characters. Without observation, the risk of
creating stereotypes and inauthenticity is greatly increased, but through it
time, place, and realistic characters are developed. Descriptive grammar,
unlike prescriptive (sounds like taking medicine), is relaxed and therefore
accepts variants of language found in regional dialects, social class
structures, and various age groups. Observe people and you find that how we
speak is not proper English grammar. So, let loose and don’t worry about the
grammar Nazis.
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