What's in a word

Perhaps the most amusing thing about the last 24 hours has been how worked up everyone has become with regards to yesterday's news from Wired. The ranting, wailing and all around temper tantrum throwing I was witness to has left me with a couple of thoughts.

First, not even the pedants can agree on what's right in terms of grammar, which means that the rest of us (you know, the ones who care about other important issues facing our society) are pretty much SOL. Because really, if those who care can't even agree, the whole endevour is doomed.

Next, everyone who thinks they're right, is damn sure that they are right and should you make the mistake of pointing out what someone else has said, you're sure to have your head ripped right off your shoulders. Best just to keep quiet and absorb all the ranting. Save your debates for people who don't start to yell and flap their arms about when talking about the finer points of grammar. 'Cause really, if you're having a debate with someone who's doing things like that about grammar, you might want to consider backing out of the room very slowly.

Finally, I really don't care. If someone can make up a definitive rule book for all variants of English, I am more than happy to follow it. But we don't have that book. Dictionaries don't all agree, AP style, CP style, British English, American English... it's far too pedantic for my liking. I am not one of those writers who gets excited about grammar. I get excited communicating. Grammar is one of the tools that I use, but that tool can be in metric or in imperial. If people understand what I've said at the end of the day, then keen. Does that make me a traitor to the community of writers in the world. Maybe, but again I come back to the part about me not caring.

Of course it would be better if everything were metric, but it isn't. And honestly, I have bigger fish to fry than the capital "I" in Internet. I do write in the dictated style, but when it comes to creating that style, I'm really okay with being a follower on this one.

Besides, it doesn't appear that there is any kind of shortage of pedants out there who are more than happy to wail on about these issues without my participation. Just let me know when you all have it sorted out, okay.

Today's sing-a-long song: "Enjoy The Silence" by Depeche Mode

HRH