Friday, January 25, 2008
Being Re-Schooled in Grammar
Is being a great writer part of blogging? Does every period, comma, and the usage of has have to correct? Why can’t I get this? What is a gerund and will he ever make us use them in some weird way? Since entering this class, the only thing repeatedly playing in the back of my mind is Dr. Harrison’s voice pointing out the proper usage of grammar. I always thought of myself as a great writer, but after attempting to write the last flash blog entry in class and at home, I finally declared to myself that I know too little about grammar. Writing my first real blog entry for “The Dabbling Native,” I found myself referring to “The Deluxe Transitive Vampire” to see the correct way to use a comma and what a fragment really is. All those years of honor classes and challenging English classes have not helped. Attempting to be a better writer is not what I want. Becoming a better writer is what I am going to be. Therefore, with grammar book in hand and Dr. Harrison’s voice replaying in my head, I will pass my test of using proper grammar.
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4 comments:
Maybe,in your previous classes, you overlooked the importance of grammar because you thought it was useless to be acquainted with punctuation, various rules, and SVOs. I am glad you now are changing your mind. Only when you will hold the means of your own writing, the world will decide if you are a "great writer."
Honestly, as I’ve grown as a writer I’m beginning to see the importance of grammar, not only as a necessity for an excellent piece of writing, but also as a tool in the hands of a master crafts man. Granted I’m no master, and very far from being one. Looking back at all those years I scoffed at grammar I see years of time lost at perfecting an art. But since the past cant be change, I only hope that in the future I’ll take ever part of speech that is out of place or incorrect use of a comma and turn it into a lesson to be learned and remembered.
In all honesty, I couldn't pull a subject and a predicate out of any sentence written on this blog. I just know what works simply by whether or not it "sounds right".
The "sounds right" technique is only as accurate as your practice - reading words that are "written right" help to reinforce how to write and speak them yourself. But grammar, the oft neglected foundation of our language, tells us specifically why it sounds right, even if the instruction is in the form of a gargoyle paramour.
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