Suzannah Windsor Freeman is a writer and blogger at her site, Write It Sideways.
I recently came across this amusing post on Humorous Reminders of Common Writing Mistakes, which made me ask myself this very question.
Reading through the list of writing faux pas, I kept vacillating between, “Oh, I would never do that!” and, “Uh oh, I do that all the time.” Once, I would have referred to myself as a definite Word Nerd (because I must admit to the guilty pleasure of reading the dictionary).
Today, I’m not so sure.
So I stopped to consider what separates Word Nerds from Grammar Rebels, and what unites them in their love of language. This is what I came up with:
Word Nerds are well-educated in the technical aspects of language and believe we should obey its rules.
Grammar Rebels are also well-educated in the technical aspects of language, but they believe it’s okay (and sometimes necessary) to break certain rules.
So, what’s the one thing Nerds and Rebels can still agree on?
There are certain language rules that must never be broken. Ever. (Well, except if you’re writing dialogue and your characters can’t speak English properly.)
Here’s a list of rules that both groups of writers agree shouldn’t be broken:
* Spelling: Unless you’re talking about the difference between American and British English, spelling is not a matter of preference.
* Double Negatives: Say, “I don’t have any cash,” not “I don’t have no cash.” If you ‘don’t have no cash,’ you actually do have cash.
* Semicolons: Semicolons separate two clauses that are related to one another, but which could be used on their own. Alternatively, they can separate items in a list. Don’t use them for any other reason.
* Apostrophes: There’s no juggling these little guys. Use them only to show possession or in a contraction.
* Commas: Commas should only be used when necessary and they must be put in the right spot.
* Redundancy: Snow can just be snow–-not ‘cold snow’ or ‘white snow.’ All snow is cold and white.
* Quotation marks: There are hard and fast rules about how to use quotation marks. Learn them and use them correctly.
* Punctuation: Periods, question marks and exclamations should only be used where they’re meant to be used. No swapping allowed.
* Formal writing: If you’re writing a business letter, an formal essay or a work document, adhere to the commonly accepted rules of grammar.
Can you think of any others?
Now, for the rules Grammar Rebels routinely break:
* Split infinitives: It’s okay to say, “I’m going to pick Johnny up from school,” instead of the proper “I’m going to pick up Johnny from school.”
* Run-on sentences: I’ve seen this done in fiction to produce a stream-of-consciousness type feel.
* Sentence fragments: Your sentences don’t always have to be complete with subject and predicate. Like this.
* Beginning sentences with conjunctions: You can start sentences with and, but and or for emphasis. But don’t do it all the time or it gets annoying.
* Contractions: You can freely use contractions in any kind of informal writing. We use them everyday in speech, so they’re somewhat necessary.
* Ending sentences with prepositions: Usually you can end with a preposition and it sounds fine. In cases where it sounds better to use the more formal structure, use that instead.
* Paragraphs: Paragraphs length is up for experimentation, but variety is the key.
* “They” as a singular pronoun: You can use they or them to mean one person, informally. In fact, you probably do it all the time when you’re talking. “What did the person on the phone say?” “They said to call back in an hour.”
Which camp do you fall into? (Or should I say, “Into which camp do you fall?”)
I highly suspect there’s a little Rebel in all of us. In fact, I’m almost willing to guarantee you’re less of a Word Nerd than you might think.
When is it okay to break the rules? When is it not?
I'm a rebel. What's the fun in following all the rules all the time? 😀
I think using "they" in place of s/he just makes for a smoother read and/or conversation. But, I won't deny that a little part of me dies every time I hear it.
Grammar Rebels Rule! …with limitations.
Sorry to be a pedant, especially in the first comment, and especially as I'd like to consider myself a grammar rebel, but as far as my understanding goes, your example of a split infinitive isn't strictly speaking a split infinitive at all. To split the infinitive would mean putting an adverb between the 'to' and the 'verb' bit of the verb – ie 'to boldly go' instead of 'to go boldly', or 'to quickly pick up' instead of 'to pick up quickly'. Though I guess in your example, as the infinitive includes the preposition, you are also splitting the infinitive, just not in the way I'd always understood it.
I don't have a problem with split infinitives particularly, just thought I'd point out the other way of doing them! Otherwise, good post!
I lean toward rebellion. That's why I married my high school sweetheart.
All right, I'm a word nerd rebel! I know the rule about double negatives, but I also know that English has a long history of double, triple, and quadruples negatives before the logic nerds decided it was wrong.
As for singular 'they' and 'their', there is also a historical precedence for their use–if Shakespeare did it, then it is a long-used convention and, therefore, not ungrammatical (double negative, anyone?)
I cringe when I read books loaded w/ fragments. I can't abide having to read three short sentences to get the sense of what should have been one long, tasty sentence. I crave long sentences w/ multiple clauses.
Being a Grammar Rebel lends more artistic leeway, or so I've believed since long before I was truly educated. The joy of learning and following grammatical rules is bending them, thus flirting with language and enjoying its vastness and vitality. Prove to everyone that you know the rules. Then break them.
Good post! I'm a rebel. And I like to think it's on purpose, too. 😉
Definitely a grammar rebel here, but I kind of enjoy it. It's more fun to break the rules when you actually know you're breaking them!
Although, I'm really not a big fan of run-on sentences. I guess I can see that they have their place. I adore fragments! And starting sentences with conjunctions.
Great post!
Absolutely a grammar rebel. I love it.
However, that being said… In the section on contractions it says: "We use them everyday in speech." Shouldn't that be "every day"?
😀 Even a rebel has his limits.
I am doing my absolute best to become a word nerd. I've been told that my ability to write comes from an inherent sense for creativity. Unfortunately, that sense doesn't come with a mastery of the rules to back it up. I'd like to think my efforts to improve are paying off.
"They" really bothers me if the gender is already known, like with Facebook requests. You would think they could figure out how to say his/her or he/she based on the gender tag on the account. Of course, being more of an unknown entity makes the use of "they" a lot less annoying (I provided an example in this paragraph!). Sometimes we must be specific though.
I think I'm on the fringes of both.
This was another great post.
I am definitely a rebel. *nods* I adore sentence fragments. I do try to observe the usual grammar rules eighty-five percent of the time, though. 🙂
Rebel I must, but it ain't easy. I was first introduced to the concept that English could actually evolve in college. My mother not only formed my moral conscience but, with equal vigor, had conditioned me to believe that there was only one true English language. (It sort of goes with early potty training.) Anyway, I completely understand the need for us to come up with a suitable replacement for "he/she" and I can stomach an occasional preposition at the end of a sentence, but with each little inch toward grammatical anarchy my mother howls from her grave and grips me somewhere at the base of my skull.
I'm a mix of both
Rebel when it works, but I find a lot of rule-breaking weakens the prose. For instance, sentence fragments can drive me insane. They can come off very chatty, gimmicky, anxious, lazy and lightweight if overused. And overuse of anything screams "amateur" to me.
I like to mix it up, but for me nothing beats a strong, proper sentence.
I'm a total grammar rebel. Language is fluid, we gotta change with the times, down with "whom"!
But I have specific opinions on certain things. Like your lack of serial commas made me twinge. This is more because sometimes serial commas are absolutely necessary ("To my parents, Ayn Rand and God" being the famous example), and even when they aren't, it provides an amount of clarity and consistency to the writing as a whole.
In essence, I'm a grammar rebel who insists on sticking to what makes logical sense rather than absolute rules. I'm a Vulcan grammar rebel.
Am wondering. Is it easier for a grammar rebel to develop "their voice" than a word nerd?
Great post except I have a rhyme I heard from my kids going round and round in my head now.
"Do not eat the yellow snow. That is where the huskies go."
Snow is usually white, but old snow isn't always.
I have to say rebel. I'm from Puerto Rico, so English is my second language. Although I speak, read and write prefect in English I am more inclined to break certain rules. I also have an annoying habit of writing new for knew, but I have my good grammar guardian angel – Brooke – that picks them up.
Rebels rule! Great post. It's a fun way to look at the unglamorous subject of grammar. Thanks for the important reminder that some rules can't be broken, or we don't look like rebels, we just look clueless.
But I think the most important thing to remember is we can't rebel unless we know what we're rebelling AGAINST. So learn the rules and then rebel away!
So I've heard that the split infinitive rule isn't even based on English. It's a rule to make English more like Latin, because in Latin you can't split an infinitive.
This post was helpful for an accidental rebel such as myself.
I'm afraid I sometimes cross the line from rebellion to total anarchy, unfortunately not on purpose.
I like this post! 🙂
Oh, and nice layout for the blog. I'm usually reading you in my google reader.
Excellent blog 🙂 I am mostly definitely a rebel. Thanks for spelling it out so clearly.
I agree you have to have a firm understanding of the rules before you can rebel against them. In dialogue, I'll use split infinitives at times because that's how the typical person speaks. I also use the occasional sentence fragment but cringe when I end a sentence with a preposition — I usually end up changing it. Oh yeah, I love em-dashes too which was definitely not taught in my English classes — I'm old though, maybe they do now.
Great post!
Cool. I just read a whole book on grammer, and you said exactly the same thing in terms of what rules to bend and what rules not to bend.
I think that means, you really know your stuff. 🙂
As for me, well, I do the best I can. If there's a gene for grammer compliance, it never made it into my DNA. I can get some basics, but commas ellude me. I just like to throw them in everywhere and anywhere. And it doesn't matter how many times I look it up, I can not tell the difference between effect and affect.
So, I just alternate between them, so neither feels left out.
Ha, just a joke – I'm trying, but it's just not my strong point. So, I appreciate the reminders.
I'm definitely a Grammar Rebel, having ingested Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, and Ken Kesey.
The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, illustrated the power of using grammar to leverage the mood of a story.
IMO, spelling and word definitions are very important, but grammar rules tend to change over time. What was once accepted can sound stuffy a few decades later. Writers should be aware of the rules first to know when they can break them.
An interesting post, Suzannah, which prompted me to check out your blog.
It took more than one grad course in advanced linguistics for me to realize there are no rules when it comes to language, spoken or written, but one: avoid ambiguity, if possible… or learn how to use it well when it isn't.
Rules are prescriptive.
Grammar is descriptive.
There's a difference.
As long as a statement, written or spoken, is understand by it's intended audience, even be it an audience of one, it is "correct".
If I had to choose one rule to incorporate in all writing (by one person) it would be consistency. But, heck, it never hurt Berryman none. Henry and Bones agree.
Into which camp do I fall?
I'm in the "Thank God for editors who have all the rules memorized" camp. Regular grammar rules seem hairy enough, but when I have to flip over to British English, I'm done for.
🙂
G.
I'm a Libra, and as such I am a little bit of both. Balance is important to me.
One point of clarification on the color of snow: I live in central Ohio, and while the snow that falls from the sky is white, once it is on the ground it has a tendency to take on a dingy gray tone, with the exception of the spots in my yard that are yellow, thanks to my schnauzer.
Other than that, awesome post!
Great post!
I was looking for something about colons, m-dashes, and using three periods(…)
Sometimes, I'm conflicted on what to use when I want that long pause or to emphasize something.
Definitely a rebel. If I was ever a proper word nerd, the linguistics BA drilled that out of me. I believe written language should reflect spoken language, and that ease of reading should be chosen over strict adherence to The Rules.
Thanks Anabel ;>
Definitely a rebel. Nothing wrong with breaking rules… but you have to know them to understand how to break them.
I say, use any weapon in your arsenal! Rules and rule breakers apply where the author deems them necessary.
Personally, I love a quirky character whose persona includes creative spelling and/or pronunciation.
Mary Jo in Gretna
GK said: "Down with whom!" Um, why would we want to get rid of that? It makes sense to know who is doing what to whom. Not everybody is the subject, you know. Should we also dispose of "me"? I know; we live in a narcissistic world where we all think we're the active players, but it just isn't true!
Rebel
p.s. Livia is right about the split infinitive. It was an attempt to Latinize English–simple snobbery, I'd say! This is why being a word nerd is so much fun.
Grammar rebel. I might even chuckle at a malapropism if it's clever. Only once though. Spelling mistakes or incorrect words altogether (lose vs. loose)are right out.
Great post!
I like/use both styles depending on what I am writing (or whether I remember the proper rules.)
On a side note, I agree with some of the other comments about snow. I currently can see some really ugly brown/black spotted snow outside my window that has yet to melt away. I am hoping a layer of new white snow comes and covers it up soon so it can look pristine again. =)
Except, you know, when the snow is pink…https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/18/pink-snow-hits-buffalo-vi_n_427221.html
As a teacher I force my students to be nerds. They have to learn the rules before they can break them.
But I'm a rebel. 🙂
As others have said, that's not quite a split infinitive you have there; it's a split verb phrase, which you should also avoid when you can. Sometimes it doesn't make sense NOT to split an infinitive. (Or to NOT split, if you like.) I'm not a grammar rebel or a total grammar nerd, but the rules exist for one reason, really: to make possible for you to make clear what you're trying to say. Sometimes you can break the rules and still do that, and sometimes you can't. The trick is in being able to tell the difference.
Good post. I would consider myself a word nerd for following the "unbreakable rules", but since I also think that the "breakable rules" NEED to be broken for decent fiction, I suppose I'm actually a grammar rebel!
The exception: academic and related writing.
Grammar isn't a science.
Grammar is a series of cults.
At the very least you throw in with the cult that makes the most sense to you and try to abide by their rituals.
…And then you sneak into opposing cults' headquarters in the early hours and spray hideously misspelled epithets on the walls.
As a Grammar Rebel,I’m big on sentence fragments. BIG. Especially 'cause I was such a properly neutered nerd for so long.
People talk in split infinitives. Writing that doesn't use them in dialog sounds awkward or overly formal to my ear.
I do every one of the grammar rebel non-rules. 🙂 But I consciously choose to do them, so it's okay.
Great post!
I have always considered myself a Grammar Rebels, though not in such terms. As a beginner, however, I try to follow rules whenever possible, because I am still testing my own boundary of what's acceptable. It's one thing to break a grammar rule intentionally; it's another thing entirely to break a rule because of ignorance.
I'm a fat, hairy old man who rides a motorcycle, so what do you think I am? A word nerd, of course.
WV: dinke – I am not!!