Thursday, August 14, 2008

Nothin' Like Some Grammar In The Mornin'

How's your grammar?

I admit, I'm a stickler about grammar. Grammar and spelling. I imagine that's more common than not with writers. Agree?

Getting it all correct when writing is easy enough, but sometimes I hear poor grammar come out of my mouth and I cRiNgE. The offenses are harmless enough, like

There's two in the refrigerator, when in fact, we would not say There is two in the refrigerator.

or

You can go downstairs when me and Sister do. But if you were to take Sister out of the equation, you'd not say You can go downstairs when me do.

I do think these are common mistakes, but why doesn't proper grammar flow in my speech as well as it does in my writing? It makes me feel less validated as a writer. Like people are going to hear me talking and think She's a writer? But she doesn't even speak properly!

Do you have similar trouble?

6 comments:

Joanne said...

Hey Janna, I do the same, mostly with family, friends. I think it's just the casualness of the situation that allows it? But like you, when I slip, I'm aware of the error! When I'm writing, it's more craft & art, so I pay more attention to that grammar!

Janna Leadbetter said...

I think you're exactly right, Joanne; we allow ourselves to be more casual when not doing "true" work.

colbymarshall said...

Oh, yes...I use good instead of well far too often!

WendyCinNYC said...

I've corrected myself on the "good/well" mistake. The Lower School Headmistress at my daughters' school is a stickler about it. Each morning she greets them:

Q:"How are you this morning, Naomi?"

The answer to this is, "Very well, thank you."

So now I say it, and I sound all formal-ly.

Melody Platz said...

I'm a terrible speller. I'm great with grammar. Just a bad, bad speller.

See my confession at AbsoluteWrite.com.

Melody Platz

Melanie Hooyenga said...

I do the same thing with There's, then I kick myself.

Wendy, lol @ formal-ly. :)