Click here to subscribe today or Login.
As Dallas School District teachers walk picket lines around the Back Mountain school campus and at businesses owned by school board members, we’re reminded of our own high school days — days when reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic were taught at every grade level.
We didn’t have fancy courses like STEM (Science, Technology, Engineer and Math) or Common Core. We learned the basics.
Regardless of what’s keeping the teachers union and the school board miles apart from a settlement in this strike, it does sometimes feel like the basics of education are a thing of the past.
Take grammar, for example. In our business, grammar is a priority. If we spell something wrong, we hear about it. If we use incorrect punctuation, we hear about. And, rightfully so. We’re supposed to be grammar gurus. We’re supposed to know how to spell and how to punctuate correctly.
In our business, we use “Tuxedo English,” better known as proper English.
Society, it seems, has reverted to T-shirt English — English that is casual, sometimes even a bit sloppy.
Spelling and punctuation aren’t as important to the younger generation as they once were. Just read a text or an email — or an Instagram post or a Tweet or whatever modern form of communication is “in” these days — and you’ll see an English unrecognizable to oldsters.
English, in its T-shirt form, uses the number “4” instead of the word “for.” And the letter “c” for “see,” the letter “u” for “you” and the abbreviation “ltr” for “later.” It’s understandable, for sure, but not proper by a long shot.
For example, this take on the famous story between Jack and Jill shows just how important punctuation can be. You remember Jack and Jill. They went up the hill to fetch a pail of water, Jack fell down and Jill followed. Or the infamous “Dear Jack” letter, written by any girl who wishes to end a relationship.
This story of Jack and Jill comes in two versions. The words and the spelling are exactly the same in both. The only thing different is the punctuation – and, of course, the meaning.
The first, written by a woman who is head over hills in love:
Dear Jack,
I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when we’re apart. I can be forever happy – will you let me be yours?
Jill
And the second, written by a woman who has just about had enough:
Dear Jack,
I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not like you. Admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me. For other men I yearn! For you I have no feelings whatsoever. When we’re apart I can be forever happy. Will you let me be? Yours,
Jill
Make no mistake, punctuation matters.
As seen in this example:
Let’s eat grandma
Maybe with a little salt and pepper, some ketchup, even. How do you think grandma would taste?
Try that again.
Let’s eat, grandma.
In this case, you and grandma are about to sit down to a meal together, maybe even share a little conversation.
Big difference.
You may not think punctuation is important but it is. And, sometimes, it can even save lives — at least in grandma’s case.