Asri-unix.1409
net.general
utzoo!decvax!cca!kck@sri-unix
Wed May 5 22:33:43 1982
The English Language
The desecration of the English language on this net astounds me.
I have always considered myself more technical than literary,
but even I cannot abide the grammatic mangling perpetrated by
correspondents on the net. Please do both yourself and me a
favor: read *The Elements of Style* by Strunk and White. If
you have already read it, read it again.
If you do not know who you are, ask yourselves these questions:
"Do I know the difference between effect and affect?", "Do I
know the difference between 'between' and 'among'?", "Do I
say 'if she was there' instead of 'if she were there'?", "Am I
confused about the proper use of its versus it's?", "Do I always
write sentences in the passive voice?", "Do I even know what the
passive voice is?", etc.
It really does not take much effort to write good English . Any
of you capable of remembering half the syntax of 'C' are quite
capable of remembering the basic rules of English grammar. Even
if you do not care to improve your language skills, read the
book; it makes for fascinating reading in its own right.
Ken Klingman
Pyramid Technology
(kck@sri-unix, sri-unix!kck)
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