I am shocked that they have done this...

[Emmanuela]

Yesterday in my English exam I saw "Who's looking at who?". I was shocked, and I hope others are too. I understand that using "who" is more convential nowadays, but this is an English exam. I wouldn't mind so much in science or maths, but an English exam! I wrote in my essay "however the accuracy grammar used in the advert is sevearly questionable."

Has this ever happened to anyone else? Please feel free to express your concern for the degradation of the English language.  

[Gachetemas]

On some movie questions, my teacher used "teh." I thought it was funny, out of context. But the question was asking what the conditions were like on board a slave ship, the movie was The Amistad, the class was AP U.S. History, and the teacher was Lutj.  

[Emmanuela]

That's quite shocking, amusing, but still. I just think it's awful when people use incorrect grammar when in positions of authority and influence, like teachers.

Then again, in my opinion, the modern English curriculum should be scrapped and replaced with an entirely grammatical based one, with emphasis on vocabulary and correct pronounciation as well as correct spelling and English usage. Somehow I don't see that happening soon...  

[DarkElf27]

I was shocked that, looking through college course listings, Art and pottery classes count as English credit. What the HELL is their logic in this?  

[aoikin]

Emmanuela

That's quite shocking, amusing, but still. I just think it's awful when people use incorrect grammar when in positions of authority and influence, like teachers.

Then again, in my opinion, the modern English curriculum should be scrapped and replaced with an entirely grammatical based one, with emphasis on vocabulary and correct pronounciation as well as correct spelling and English usage. Somehow I don't see that happening soon...

I completely agree here. My English professor has more grammatical errors in his hand-outs than most of us have in our assignment... combined. He was eaching us about the proper use of puncuations such as commas. He had to reach into his internet answers to find them. If someone were to teach a lesson, should they not know how to do it first? It's a little pet peeve of mine, hehe.

And as for Art and Poetry being English classes... I can see Poetry as being an english class, but Art isn't even close. Poetry requires creative writing skills, so although it isn't literature, it still has the qualities of an english class. Art usually relates to pictures, sculptures, and photography. Unless they have to write an essay about it every time, I thikn it's a stretch claiming it as english.  

[The Man who was Thursday]

Good lord. That's a horrible idea.

Don't replace the current English curriculum.

Just add Latin as mandatory.  

[Xillania]

aoikin

And as for Art and Poetry being English classes... I can see Poetry as being an english class, but Art isn't even close. Poetry requires creative writing skills, so although it isn't literature, it still has the qualities of an english class. Art usually relates to pictures, sculptures, and photography. Unless they have to write an essay about it every time, I thikn it's a stretch claiming it as english.

I'm pretty sure that that wasn't a typo and the post referred to pottery, as in ceramics, not poetry.

I second the motion that Latin should be mandatory, and I move that English classes incorporate a small section on etymology to fill people in on the other various roots of the English language. (Not that my motions made here would have any effect on anything, unless one of you happens to be a school board member.)  

[Ame Yuki Kaze]

Yes, it should be "whom", if I'm not mistaken.

It's horrible when the people who teach English and grammar don't even bother to use it correctly themselves. Don't they realize that they are the example? Apparently not.

I think taking at least basic Latin would be an excellent idea because so much of our language is based on it. I'd love etymology classes as well because that would provide a sense of connection and understanding between English, Latin, German and many other languages.


This is a properly formatted sentence. The first letter of a sentence is ALWAYS capitalized. A sentence always ends in a punctuation mark, usually a period, but sometimes a question mark or exclamation point. Punctuation such as the comma, the colon and the semicolon are used as sentence pausers. Never should a sentence end with one of these.  

[The Man who was Thursday]

Gwargh. Latin should not be taught because "so much of our language is based off of it". Honestly, that helps very little.

What helps a shitload is the fact that Latin has what is considered by some to be a perfect grammar; hence, by studying Latin, you study the most regular grammatical forms.

Granted, it will only cover nominative-accusative languages, nothing about ergative-absolutive or whatnot. But hey, whatever. Once you learn Latin, you'll know what the difference is with just a short explanation.  

[splashseal]

Ezra Pound

Good lord. That's a horrible idea.

Don't replace the current English curriculum.

Just add Latin as mandatory.

Here, here! It is a shame that Latin is no longer required of students. People might actually know something about grammar and such then. I try to keep up with Latin studies on my own (I am no pro, however) and honestly, through all the science and foreign language courses I have had, it comes in handy.

But then we are lucky to get even ONE foreign language class. Hell, we don't have a good English class as it us. Apparently it is not important. *snorts*  

[ChibbiChlessla]

Latin is really confusing as far as grammar goes. We have ridged rules, they have iron fortresses. If you make one mistake, your entire statement goes out the window.

In my high school we were required to pass two years of language classes in order to graduate. I took five years of German, because I hate being the jerk who only speaks (somewhat good) English.

German grammar drives me crazy. It's got just enough differences to be difficult and not seem like an idiot.  

[aoikin]

Xillania

I'm pretty sure that that wasn't a typo and the post referred to pottery, as in ceramics, not poetry.

Sorry, I read that wrong.^^ I agree, then. Pottery definitely shouldn't count as an english credit.

and I love the Latin idea. I tried to take latin in my old high school, but the class was always full. I plan on continuing with it in college next year.

And I hope I never need to see german grammer if it drives you that crazy. I have enough trouble with my japanese grammer. Everything is backwards... but once I got the hang of it, I started saying my english grammer backwards. Now that was a hard habit to break.  

[chrystalclear]

Pottery and art as English credit?! Oh, my future! I see it wither before me! If the teacher of a lesson cannot even explain the concept they are teaching, the future is indeed bleak. I see that happen in math too! I ask my extra-curriculum teacher try to explain an example with a concept that I haven't learned yet, and he doesn't even know how to voice this mathematical concept. xp
As for other language grammar, I agree. My Chinese grammar kills me, and my teacher is not very clear. Her English vocabulary is very low, but I can't really blame her for that entirely. She didn't have a true teacher.

P.S. Isn't grammar spelled that way?

P.P.S. I think learning Latin would help me a lot with the subjective-nominative stuff. sweatdrop Plus, I think it's interesting.

P.P.P.S. You want to know how sad and low our society has become in English? There are kids at my school who actually cuss like the cuss words are the only ones in their vocabulary, and I actually think that it might be possible. Heck, I've heard them cussing in Spanish!!! They also sound like complete perverts, and supposedly there was a pervert in the girls locker room today at! We're not even in high school yet! *twitches* I'm so glad that I have like...FIVE people who have actual intelligible speech there. And that's not even half of it, but I'm not even going to try to scratch any deeper than the surface or I might go insane. << Why me?  

[Xillania]

Grammar has always been my strong suit. In English, I have a general mastery, but I have trouble comprehending words in other languages without translating them first. Of course, Spanish being the language in which I am most learned, I have a small core of words that I understand well. I don't have to consciously translate "puedo ir al bano," because I've used it so much that I associate it with the same concepts as its English translation ("Can I use the bathroom?") But grammar I just pick up. I guess learning English as a first language helped there, with its complexity.

"Okay, the past tense of A is B, except when it is proceeded by C in which case it is W."  

[Ziixxxitria_Coutl]

A Spanish class teaches you how to speak Spanish properly in grammar, punctuation and all of that.
A French class does the same thing for French.
Italian for Italian, et cetera...
Why is an English class not doing the same thing?

xP

My English teacher is very competent, though, and I don't have any complaints about her.