Definition and Examples of Correctness in Language

In prescriptive grammar, correctness is the notion that certain words, word forms, and syntactic structures meet the standards and conventions (that is, the rules) prescribed by traditional grammarians. Contrast correctness with grammatical error. According to  David Rosenwasser and Jill Stephen, Achieving grammatical correctness is a matter of both knowledge--how to recognize and avoid errors--and timing: when to narrow your focus to proofreading (Writing Analytically, 2012). Examples and Observations It is in vain to set up a language police to stem living developments. (I have always suspected that correctness is the last refuge of those who have nothing to say.)(Friederich Waismann, Analytic-Synthetic V. Analysis, 1952)Concern with correctness, whether mechanical, logical, or rhetorical, is in no way illegitimate or suspect. Virtually all educators evaluate student writing for correctness of spelling, grammar, or logic. What generates the distinctive pedagogies of clear and correct writing is not a concern with correctness that no one else shares, but the rather less widespread notion that rules are somehow context-neutral, that they can be taught by themselves and then applied elsewhere.(Dennis McGrath and Martin B. Spear, The Academic Crisis of the Community College. SUNY Press, 1991)School Grammar and CorrectnessIn nearly every instance, school grammar is traditional grammar. It is concerned primarily with correctness and with the categorical names for the words that make up sentences. Thus, students study grammatical terms and certain rules that are supposed to be associated with correctness. Grammar instruction is justified on the assumption that students who speak or write expressions such as He dont do nothin will modify their language to produce He doesnt do anything if only they learn a bit more grammar. . . .Although most teachers in our public schools continue to prescribe language, linguists dropped prescription long ago, replacing it with the concept of appropriateness conditions. This expression signifies that language use is situation specific and that there is no absolute standard of correctness that applies to all situations. People modify their language on the basis of circumstances and dominant conventions . . ..(James D. Williams, The Teachers Grammar Book. Lawrence Erlbaum, 1999) Three Kinds of Rules Most of our attitudes about correctness have been encouraged by generations of grammarians who, in their zeal to codify good English, have confused three kinds of rules:A few date from the twentieth century:But since grammarians have been accusing the best writers of violating such rules for the last 250 years, we have to conclude that for 250 years the best writers have been ignoring both the rules and the grammarians. Which is lucky for grammarians, because if writers did obey all their rules, grammarians would have to keep inventing new ones, or find another line of work.(Joseph M. Williams, Style: The Basics of Clarity and Grace. Longman, 2003) Some rules define what makes English English--articles precede nouns: the book, not book the. These are the real rules we violate only when we are tired or rushed. . . .A few rules distinguish Standard English from nonstandard: He doesnt have any money versus He dont have no money. The only writers who consciously follow these rules are those striving to join the educated class. Schooled writers observe these rules as naturally as they observe the real rules and think about them only when they notice others violating them.Finally, some grammarians have invented rules they think we all should observe. Most date from the last half of the eighteenth century: Dont split infinitives, as in to quietly leave.Dont use than after different, as in This is different than that. Use from.Dont use hopefully for I hope, as in Hopefully, it wont rain.Dont use which for that, as in a car which I sold. Freshman Composition and Correctness Composition courses provided a means to teach larger numbers of students at once, assessing their success by measuring their adherence to prescribed standards. . . . [M]any schools [in the late 19th century] began instituting Freshman Composition classes that focused more on correctness than invention. For example, Harvards course English A, initiated in the 1870s, focused less on traditional aspects of rhetoric and more on correctness and formulaic responses. The concept of discipline had changed from moral and religious discipline, codes of conduct and virtue, to mental discipline, means of working with repetitive drills and exercises.(Suzanne Bordelon, Elizabethada A. Wright, and S. Michael Halloran, From Rhetoric to Rhetorics: An Interim Report on the History of American Writing Instruction to 1900. A Short History of Writing Instruction: From Ancient Greece to Contemporary America, 3rd ed., edited by James J. Murphy. Routledge, 2012)

Imagery in The Road Not Taken Essay - 655 Words

In Robert Frost’s â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, Frost shows the everyday human struggle to make a choice that could change the course of one’s life. In his poem, a person has the choice to take one road or the other. One road is worn out from many people taking it, and the other is barely touched, for fewer have taken that road. Throughout the poem, the speaker learns that just because so many other people have done one thing, or walked one way, does not mean everyone has to. Sometimes you just have to go your own way. In the poem, a person is walking along a path in an autumn forest in the early hours of the morning, when he stumbles upon a fork in the road. The speaker wishes that he would be able to travel down both of them, but he has places†¦show more content†¦There are many key aspects to this poem. The speaker, or the person who is experiencing the events in the poem, is a traveler walking through the woods. There is no specific occasion, although t he poem does mention that the speaker did not have enough time to travel both roads on that one day. The setting of the poem in time is told in the line â€Å"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,† (1), it tells us that the setting is autumn, because the leaves are changing, and have turned yellow. The setting in place is a forest, although it Frost does not specify where the forest is. In this poem, I believe the theme is that you have to jump at an opportunity when you get it, or you may never get that opportunity again. Moving on to the tone of the poem, I believe that it is wistful, and that the speaker might be looking back on his days, and realizing that he taking the other road might have made all of the difference in his life. There is very good diction in this poem, as some words express Frost’s feeling more than other’s would’ve. For example, in the line â€Å"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,† (1), Frost really emphasizes the two roads separating from each other. In another line â€Å"In leaves no step had trodden black† (12), trodden is a more appropriate than another word such as crushed or pulverized, because it is the past form of trod, or to step in something, and gives an image of human feet stepping on the freshly fallen leaves. In the poem, many instancesShow MoreRelated Symbolism, Imagery, and Theme of The Ro ad Not Taken by Robert Frost686 Words   |  3 PagesSymbolism, Imagery, and Theme of The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost How can an author effectively convey a universal message to the broadest audience possible? Simple. The author must simply create a completely impartial narrator, devoid of sex, status, or age. The Road Not Taken is a poem told by an impartial narrator who has come to a crossroads in his/her life. The crossroads is represented by a forked path that leads through a forest. The setting is also impartial; the forest is anytimeRead More Symbols, Symbolism, Imagery, and Theme in Robert Frosts The Road Not Taken664 Words   |  3 PagesSymbolism, Imagery, and Theme in The Road Not Taken nbsp; The Road Not Taken is told by one person - there is no designation as to sex, station in life or age.nbsp; This person has come to a crossroads in their life and has two options to choose from.nbsp; The place in this poem is a fork in a path in a forest, and time is not specified though it could happen today, so it would be considered a contemporary piece.nbsp; The premise of the poem is that the subject faces and then makes a lifeRead MoreThe Road Not Taken By Robert Frost1025 Words   |  5 PagesThe Road Not Taken by Robert Frost is a deep poem. This poem is an autobiographical poem of Frost’s life. However Frost’s first intention in writing the poem was not to be taken seriously. He had written it mocking one of his fellow writing acquaintances because of indecision incidents his acquaintance had made while they would go on walks together. However, when people read the narrative much more seriously than it was intended to be. One of those people that took it seriou sly was the same acquaintanceRead MoreCritical Analysis Of Robert Frosts The Road Not Taken1257 Words   |  6 Pages Critical Analysis on â€Å"The Road Not Taken† Why is it so common for people to regret the path they have chosen in life? Robert Frost attempts to answer this question throughout the poem by using many literary devices. In other terms, the poet is alluding to a lesson in everyones life; Once a path is being determined, it is inevitable to change the choices because they are in the past. The poet uses imagery to create a visual picture in the readers head of two paths in the woods with the freedomRead MoreAnalysis Of The Road Not Taken By Robert Frost1409 Words   |  6 PagesThe analysis of â€Å"The Road Not Taken† by Robert Frost has been up for debate since the poem release in 1916. It is known to be one of the most frequently misinterpreted poems of all time, and even Robert Frost himself has said the poem is â€Å"tricky† to comprehend (The). When analyzing this poem many readers tend to focus only on the last lines of the poem and get caught in a trap of selective-interpretation. Quite a few people after rea ding Robert Frost’s poem firmly conclude that this poem is aboutRead MoreThemes Of Consonance In The Road Not Taken By Robert Frost891 Words   |  4 PagesThe Road not taken is a poem by Robert Frost was first written in 1916 and it is one of the most famous pieces of American literature. â€Å"It was published in 1978 it has also sold more than seven million copies in the United States and Canada.† (Orr). â€Å"â€Å"The Road Not Taken,† plays a unique role not simply in American literature, but in American culture —and in world culture as well. Its signature phrases have become so ubiquitous, so much a part of everything from coffee mugs to refrigerator magnetsRead MoreFigurative Language Essays1135 Words   |  5 PagesFigurative Language and Imagery ENG 340 Creative Writing Whenever you describe something by comparing it with something else, you are using figurative language. Figurative language is the use of language to describe something by comparing it to something else. It serves many linguistic purposes. It allows people to express abstract thoughts. It creates tone and communicates emotional content. The ability to use figurative language in writing can make a poem or story more enjoyable for the readerRead MoreThe Road Not Taken Analysis987 Words   |  4 PagesThe Road Not Taken Analysis The Road Not Taken is a poem written by Robert Frost. This poem is a great candidate to be one of the world s best and this analysis will unveil why it is so. The poetic devices used in the poem bring forth its deeper meaning which ultimately resonates with the reader s emotions. However not only this poem is great because of the literary experience it gives but it is also beautiful on a simple structural level. First lets look at the structural aspectRead MoreAnalysis OfThe Road Not Taken, By Robert Frost1011 Words   |  5 Pagesis â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, which exemplifies his colloquial language and establishment of a complex theme; without Frost’s use of diction and tone throughout the work, the poem would not have nearly the same impression on the reader. Most importantly, Frost’s use of diction throughout â€Å"The Road Not Taken† plays a considerable role in portraying the meaning behind the poem, which deals with life and the decisions that must be made throughout it. One of the most misunderstood poems, â€Å"The Road Not Taken†Read MoreDecision Making In Robert Frosts The Road Not Taken770 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Road Not Taken† depicts a real life situation. Imagine a problem coming up in your life and having to choose between one solution or the other. Many might be confused and stressed about which decision to choose. No individual wants to be faced with hard situations in their life. Sometimes the solution less chosen is the best, but not always. Advice is helpful in an individual’s life because that individual gets a second opinion, rather just trying to figure out the solution on their own. Frost

The Enduring Myth of Love free essay sample

An analysis of how love is in characterized Inferno,Tristan, and the Symposium. An analysis of the Inferno, Tristan, and the Symposium and their depiction of love . The author argues that the myth of love and emotion is hinted by the the authors use of symbolism and imagery. Includes an analysis of the characters and themes. In Canto V of Dantes Inferno, `all those who sin in lust` are `punished in the sweep of the black wind` (D 111). Similar to the Symposium and Tristan, the Inferno attempts to serve as an expert on love, yet fails by treating the subject in an unrealistic context. The Inferno punishes through eternal damnation one of the most carnal instincts, while Tristan idealizes love by invoking its perfect occurrence through a false means, namely the love potion. The Symposium also fails to define love because it takes an emotion and tries to legitimize it through dialectical inquiry. We will write a custom essay sample on The Enduring Myth of Love or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When read as entire works and considering all points made, the Inferno, Tristan, and the Symposium fail to present an adequate meaning of love. All of the texts, however, make claims that when taken out of the particular works do define meanings of love. It is through these recounts of emotion that the myth of love has managed to endure.

Lila, Lila Review Essay Example

Lila, Lila Review Paper Essay on Lila, Lila For me, the book Lila, Lila was the opening, taken on holiday by accident, just casually bought in the discount shop, it was in my hands. Entertainment sake began to read it In between relaxing treatments, which are in currently require absolute shutdown of consciousness and minimum concentration. after the first two or three chapters, I just could not tear myself away. The unusual storyline, exciting affair, ease of narration led to that rest was forgotten until the end of the book We will write a custom essay sample on Lila, Lila Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Lila, Lila Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Lila, Lila Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer On the plot Say in a little bit. Young people interested in literature, bought on sale antique desk and a broken drawer finds the manuscript. It turned out that it was a touching story about unrequited love and suicide, masterfully described by an unknown author several decades ago. At the same time it was a real success, and a great chance to be glorified who found her it was this discovery, and short-sighted decision to issue a book of his played a cruel joke with the main character. He has become a hostage of their own lies. As you know, one lie always breeds another. The consequences of cheating grew like a snowball, with the result that almost led to the murder The book is a fascinating, very well describes the experiences of the protagonist, the motives of his actions. And, despite the fact that in the book he is described as a trickster who fooled a lot of people and builds his life on a lie, and even so shall cause the condemnation, I gradually imbued him with sympathy and compassion.