An article in the New York Times * described "fans of good grammar" flocking to a showing of a movie on that topic.
They were attending the first New York screening of “Rebel With a Clause,” a new documentary about a woman who set up a “grammar table” in all 50 states for passers-by to stop and ask her about punctuation and past participles...Before and after the screening, filmgoers bantered about whether to place a comma after the penultimate item in a list, discussed the appropriate usage of “lie” and “lay” and united in a shared reverence for language, ideas and the grammatical rules designed to give clarity to free expression...
What I took away from the article was a clever repartee to use when a prescriptivist insists that grammar rules are inflexible.
The film also offers instances of surprise, even for some who consider themselves grammatically sharp. On several occasions, Ms. Jovin clarifies a misconception about ending a sentence with a preposition.To do so is actually perfectly correct, Ms. Jovin explains. “It is a grammatical myth that made its way into English via Latin, but English is a Germanic language,” she tells one table visitor who responds with a delighted “Shut up!”
I'll try that reply and see if anyone picks up on the intrinsic wry humor in it.
* note that in response to a reader complaint and a reader suggestion, I'm now trying to use "guest links" for articles I cite from the NYT. Hope they work ok. Max 10/month should not be a problem. Not sure if such are available for other paywall sites I use
I want to share this and I don't know how. From your Canadian friends
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OzbmriDgQc&t=102s
I saw that today. Your link sets the video to start at the 102 second mark, near the end. Here is a link for the start.
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OzbmriDgQc
But... it doesn't belong on this blog post. I'll erase these comments tomorrow.
Tried the NYT hyperlink. After 5 paragraphs the rest was blocked.
ReplyDeleteSo went up to address bar and inserted ‘txtify.it/‘after the “//“ https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/06/nyregion/ellen-jovin-new-york-grammar-table-filzPZuc2ul-&smid=url-share “ became
https://txtify.it/www.nytimes.com/2025/03/06/nyregion/ellen-jovin-new-york-grammar-table-film.html?unlocked_article_code=1.104.Mzum.plizPZuc2ul-&smid=url-share
And I got the plaintext article. It’s always worth a try, with a high % wins!
Alternatively, just plug links into the internet archive -
Deletehttps://archive.is/
Capitalization is important, too: "let's help Uncle Jack off the horse" vs "let's help uncle jack off the horse.
ReplyDeleteThat one always reminds me of this, likely NSFW, story about a scientist learning to collect sheep semen for research: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpYK9kNbRys
DeleteHmmm. "Up" in Shut up functions more like an adverb than as a preposition though. It is part of a phrasal verb, like "cool down", "build up", "cast away" etc.
ReplyDeleteLet us not forget the classic "Eats, Shoots & Leaves"
ReplyDeletehttps://www.amazon.com/Eats-Shoots-Leaves-Tolerance-Punctuation/dp/1592402038
Get in Sit Down Shut Up and Hang On
ReplyDeleteI fondly recall failing my English 101 course in my freshman year of college. I was taught by the incomparable Professor Ruth Leochler of Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, FL. It looked as though she has punctured an artery while grading my paper, but, oh, the insights and knowledge I gained!
ReplyDeleteI had to retake the course. I made an A the next time around.
She actually gave us a spelling test. She held her index finger over her lips and said, "Shhh...QUIET." I drew a blank and wrote "quite." That was in 1981. I have never misspelled (shhh!) quiet again--and I think of her every time I have to write it.
While I prefer teaching History, I am presently assigned as a high school English teacher. And, yes, I "bleed" on my students' papers. I'm not perfect, but if I'm any good at all, it has a lot to do with the dear Professor Leochler--a woman of rare ability.
In terms of adding punctuation, I think that "Let's eat. Mom!" works? Meaning, they want to start eating and are yelling for Mom.
ReplyDeleteI recall some years ago driving by the nearby children's hospital, and some firefighters were collecting change to raise some money for the Burn Unit. One of their posters read "Help Burn Injured Children." ...... Really could've used a hyphen.
ReplyDelete