Editors: Quit complaining about bad grammar

Some of the worst offenders against good English are the corporate writers and editors who complain about what they read and hear, claims this columnist

In a recent Ragan.com article, journalism professor Don Ranly talks about the seven myths of writing instruction. They are as follows:

Ranly methodically takes apart each of these excuses. Grammar has never been taught well. Nor has the teaching of grammar declined. Is an interest in grammar the sign of snobbish elitism? No. Ranly finds that the preoccupation with grammatical correctness is universal, or at least much more widespread than the so-called “experts” believe. Almost everyone complains about the mistakes they find in other people’s writing.

What about the shocking solecisms we hear on the five o’clock news? Ranly asks his seminar students to send him examples of broadcasters who “regularly slaughter the English language.” In 30 years of teaching, he’s never received one mistake. Ranly argues that television has actually improved spoken English.