Teacher Discussion Forums

Is the speaker below saying that informal/conversational English is incorrect use?

"Swan is a strong descriptivist who often classifies things differently from more prescriptive grammarians. What swan calls correct, I would call informal/conversational. What he calls excessively formal, I would call standard and correct."

It's strongly implied, isn't it?

If I think somebody is a crypto-fascist but you think they are slightly right-of centre, and if somebody I think a bit right wing you consider a dangerous lefty then I can only surmise that you would put Ken Livingstone in the same boat as Stalin and Beria. Even if you haven't in fact said so.

I bet this person wouldn't like me (or would they prefer "my"?) using "they" after "somebody", a comma before "and" and a full stop before "Even if" (Not a full sentence and I call myself educated?).

Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo

http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/language ... 01817.html

"Swan is a strong descriptivist who often classifies things differently from more prescriptive grammarians. What swan calls correct, I would call informal/conversational. What he calls excessively formal, I would call standard and correct."

Oh Swan, how dare you be so descriptive?

I totaly agree with JTT, the speaker doesn't baldly come round to say 'what Swan calls...I would call it incorrect, careless, sub-standard and the like' but it's heavily implied or at least the speaker plays down the role of 'informal' English.

I might be mistaken, but what I know Swan does is classifying things with remarks like 'some people consider this incorrect or too formal' for example, I don't think he'd positively go and say only 'this is correct' for he writes for non-natives, he has to warn people to avoid the Grammatical Police, in a test I'd put if I were you.... once I put "she said the president is here..." and yes I got a red mark, I was supposed to write ...the president was.

The Grammatical Police's turned the corner, you'd better run for cover.

José

="JuanTwoThree"It's strongly implied, isn't it?

To me, it is strongly implied.

<I totaly agree with JTT, the speaker doesn't baldly come round to say 'what Swan calls...I would call it incorrect, careless, sub-standard and the like' but it's heavily implied or at least the speaker plays down the role of 'informal' English. >

Yes, I think he's just avoiding using the word "inc*rrect".