Grammatical Pedantry Syndrome Ruins Language

Have you ever had your grammar corrected in ordinary conversation? Maybe you said "lay" when you should have said "lie." Or perhaps you mixed up the applications of "if" and "whether." Regardless of what your error was, you probably felt annoyed and confused - people shouldn't be correcting your use of English.

There are two problems I see in this matter. The obvious issue is that in most contexts, correcting someone's grammar is rude, and it can make the person feel uncomfortable. The other, less visible issue is that language thrives on errors and inconsistencies. The mechanics of an old word can change, and new uses can become widely accepted. Sometimes, new vocabulary is introduced by ordinary people creating new, unusual jargon. If people didn't use nonstandard English, the language wouldn't be able to adapt and evolve.

Linguistic development is similar to biological evolution. If every human being shared the same DNA and there were no random mutations among genes, our species could never change and advance, just as if every human being shared the same grammar and never introduced new word usages, language could never change and advance. In both of these areas, although most transformations are negative, almost all bad changes die out quickly, while good changes survive, proliferate, and benefit future generations.

Next time you notice someone making a grammatical mistake, don't be so quick to correct them. It would be better if nature could take its course and English could live life on its own.