letter to the editor

To whomever it may concern. In light of resent discussions concerning the so-called death of standard English, I am writing this to reflect my opinions and knowledge on the matter. The idea of a correct and wrong form of speech is absurd, language is always evolving just as human civilization is. It was no more than 400 years ago that building a ship of steel was only illusions seen by mad men and only 20 years ago that teachers informed students they would never carry a calculator in the pocket. Ask yourself, do you honestly believe that you are right, and all others are wrong?

What, if anything, makes good English. If its speaking and writing like a sophisticated high-ranking powerful lord from the early 19^th century then I certainly don’t wish to be good at it. This isn’t the 1800s. we have commercial airplanes, powerful computers at our disposal for every need and freedom of speech. No one can say that what you say is wrong. Civilization was built communication and grew as language did. It is form of connection between people, and a connection is not something you can call incorrect! The idea is outrageous. Speech was made to join people, there was no right or wrong. Telling someone that their word for an item is incorrect would be saying their language doesn’t exist. In the end it comes down to who fuses about it, you’ll be fighting a losing battle trying to make your speech the only correct one. This is just another barrier, no matter how much you try you can’t choose what others say and write.

Yale shouldn’t be concerned with the change in the language used. It is a simple change, and change seems to be advocated a lot. People should not concern themselves with the change that affects others. If they are contempt of modern speech, then they should shouldn’t use language that is a result. The language changed for effectiveness, if someone read an English book from the 8^th century they wouldn’t understand any of it. However, that is proper English. The version that is used now is also a result of change. Realistically we should embrace the birth of the new proper English as it will change again in 40 years. When all the living are a hundred they will complain the youth doesn’t use our slang anymore, instead they will have their own language.