I didn't go to Grammar School

In doing research today for a few work projects, I came across a number of articles written on the subject of grammar, and our declining English language. Some of them made me laugh at how annoyed people get when people don’t properly use their words, and some made me want to grab my Webster and study up immediately. They all got me thinking though, and they sparked the need inside of me to explain a few things about us non-English majored members of the English speaking world. Although I speak for nobody else but myself.

I have terrible grammar, and probably even worse spelling (which doesn’t say too much). I’m sure that anyone who has every read this blog knows that little fact about me, and I am grateful that regardless of my occasional misuse of the English language, many of you continue to frequent my ramblings; even though you may cringe inside when I throw in a few too many run on sentences, or make a word plural that isn’t exactly supposed to be. (speaking of…was that last sentence a run-on?)

However, the great thing about the Weblog world is that I don’t HAVE to be a great speller or have fantastic English to do what some people had to go through many years of schooling to do, and that is to write. Sure I don’t get paid to update people on my life, and my words aren’t as pretty to read as some, but it’s an opportunity for me to do something that up until recently, was only reserved for personal diaries. People actually READ what I write, and some actually enjoy it!

But Christi, you speak English, you live in the United States, you SHOULD know how to speak proper English, or at least spell correctly! I couldn’t agree more. However, aside from my poor spelling (which I attribute to my reliance on spell check), my only knowledge of proper grammar use is what I learned in Grade School. GRADE SCHOOL. Outside of my 6th grade English I have never once had to learn anything even remotely close to grammar “right and wrongs”. So blame the educational system, not me =)

I guess the excuse I’m trying to make is aside from the simple “their, they’re, and there” we learned in our earlier years, my knowledge base of the matter simply isn’t there. And since I don’t do this professionally, why delve into it so deeply? Now don’t get me wrong, I do believe it’s important to remain educated on the English language, after all, we use it every single day! But to think of all the possible mistakes that are out there to make when using all of these fabulous words of ours is exhausting! I’ll let the professionals deal with all of them.

To sum it up: I didn’t go to school to learn every grammatical error that is possible to make, so I’m going to make mistakes sometimes. I’ll continue to try to grow as a literary human being, but in the mean time, you may just have to tough out some “pet-peevy” type mistakes. I apologize to those that this bothers. But know, that while I’m aggravating you with my words, I’m having a great time sharing my thoughts with all of you =)