My dad's best friend died early this morning.
Yeah.
I had the most horrible dream last night, involving the death of my own father.
It's actually the worst nightmare I've had in my life.
When I woke up crying, I had this terrible knowing feeling that my mom was going to call me and tell me my dad was dead. I think this simply because me and my dad are tight, emotionally and mentally. If there is anyone who I can go to for understanding and counsel, it's my father. So this dream, the sheer reality of the fear and possibility behind it, was almost unbearable at two'o'clock this morning.
When she called uncharacteristically early (even for her), the terror from the dream shot from the depths of my soul. Only, it was Dad's best friend, who has been struggling with cancer for only a couple of months, who is now on his way to the funeral house.
I tell you this story for a purpose, I promise.
I believe this is the central idea behind Mulroy's point. Not my dad's friends death, but something that goes along with that. The meat behind somebody telling anybody else anything. To gain access to understanding/knowledge/empathy. To communicate effectively, not with just robotic word sytax, but to convey the essences of humanity. I could tell this story, and it could be read by millions of eyes, all from different countries, and the minds would understand, emotion would be conveyed, understanding would come. Simply because standard English has been perpetuated throughout the public schools systems on so many different continents beside our own. Standard English is a leveling tool. Though I've probably compromised so many grammar rules already in this short blurb, I now see even more the need for communication, for expression, for understanding, not just with people who have the same flesh tones as I do, but for anybody who has had to deal with something that life has offered up to them. I want to know, to understand, to see clearly, and the uncompromising qualities of standard English teachers make that possible. Cheers to you.
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14 comments:
Wow. Thanks for that heartfelt engagement with the material of this course.
It's easy to take language for granted, isn't it?
you stole my title, title stealer. :) love you mike.
You need to talk more. to me. I dont like finding these things out by reading them on your grammar blog. Thats why we live together..in case one of us wakes up crying..
wow. that's an amazing connection you made. definitely a good shift away from the usual grammar blogs.
I see your point--but does the English language really require such staunch rule-making to make it the language it needs to be? Look at how much English has changed from the time period when Beowulf was written...or from the times of Chaucer or Shakespeare...or even George Washington. Who are we to hinder that?
that was not only a great blog about good ole mulroy, but just a great piece of writing. with all of the talk about connecting with our speech, this made me think of how much people connect without saying anything at all.
Just like everyone else said, thanks for that. I like how you point out the need for language. Just wondering, do you think there is any other way that one could communicate these feelings without language?
I think you hit the "essense" of the argument. Very nicley connected. Ever use a thesaurus? I sure do.
communication is key. and we need grammar for it. doesn't mean we have to like grammar...we just need it.
I'm sorry to hear about your dad's friend. And I have nightmares about losing my dad too. It's so easy to get lost in the rules of English that lead us to be able to create, and something like this post has taken years of study to create. I think that's why I hate studying grammar. It feels like knowing how to use tools and having to go back and learn the names of them and their history and other bullshit like that. Not really necessary for the use of them, but some people think you should know it. Hmmm.
Nightmares suck! Glad to see your passion.
Good insight to what we've been discussing in and outside of class. Is is our ability to understand each other clearly via grammar that we are able to convey our feelings and emotions effectively to others.
This is why I am trying to become a better writer, your words were straight on with your message. Thank you.
Maybe it's easier for English majors--who write fluently, if not always correctly according to the conventions of SWE--to take grammar for granted than it is for those who don't write so fluently. Is fluidity enough, though? Fluidity and the ability to "get your meaning across"?
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