Dare to Ask: Why are white people so fussy about good grammar?

By Phillip J. Milano

Question

Why are white people so dogmatic about grammar? Good grammar isn’t linked to intelligence. — Nia C., 30, black, Chicago

Replies

I admit that proper grammar is important to me and that I form an at least partially negative impression of people who use poor grammar. I agree that good grammar does not equate with intelligence, but poor grammar does not suggest someone is particularly intelligent. — J.M., 37, white male, Conn.

Grammar is not linked to intelligence, but that’s the perception. And it doesn’t matter the race of the language-mangler. Speaking non-standard English can give the impression the speaker is ill-educated. As an employer, I look for people who can communicate well and who will represent my company in a professional and positive way. — Maria, 50, white, Raleigh, N.C.

From Jacksonville.com users

I proudly speak and write American English, do it to the best of my abilities, judge people on their merits, not the color of their skin, love my country and avoid people who want to destroy it, and love my private-school college degree and six-figure job. Can I get a woohoo? — MrPatrick

If I need an urban dictionary or a primer on the meaning of Web-based acronyms to read and understand a post or commentary, I discount the content entirely and move on.

A poorly written argument full of grammatical and/or spelling errors suggests the writer is either intellectually lazy, poorly educated or both. — JaxJLB, white female

My black friends who are educated and have excellent grammar turn it on and off like a switch, depending on who they are talking to. — Friedman, white male

My [white] daughter has been ridiculed for speaking regular English at school. Now, she can talk slang and whatever it is that young people speak when she wants to. It is I think sometimes a question of age. I have recently met Russian young people working here after immigrating. Their use of English is better than so many of the young people here ... Our entire culture is losing its ability to speak and think from top to bottom. — TJ

Being a substitute teacher, I could ask one student to answer a question and almost cringe at the grammar while they’re speaking, but another student speaks so eloquently. And this is a white and black child, respectively. It’s all in the education, and whoever is doing the upbringing of a child. — Mterry2216, 36, white female

Has nothing to do with race. Stupid, classless, uneducated people don’t speak correct English. — Brpatton

Expert says

Bill White writes the “Grammar Police” column for The Morning Call in Allentown, Pa. He’s no Caucasian snob. He did not correct my usage once during our interview. Nor, as it inevitably came up, did he challenge my assertion that the 2009 vintage of Cabernet Franc produced in the Saint-Emilion subregion was the best Bordeaux in three decades. A true gentleman.

For this guy, stressing good grammar isn’t about looking down on others, whatever their race. It’s about holding to a standard.

“I’m fine with casual use and slang in the right situations, and I recognize that language evolves, but people will judge you in a not-positive way if you’re sloppy with spelling and grammar, and it shows a certain disrespect that you didn’t take the trouble to proofread something you sent.”

While street dialect is OK among friends, White draws the line at teaching something like Ebonics in the schools.

“I don’t know that I want to say there is no standard, and talk however you want. We’re better off knowing that standard so we can communicate in any circle.”

And there are payoffs to standard English, he joked.

“My own family can’t get 'lay’ and 'lie’ correct. They tell the dog to go lay down, but the dog responds better to me because I use correct grammar.”

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Phillip Milano, author of "I Can't Believe You Asked That! (Perigee)," moderates cross-cultural dialogue at Y? The National Forum on People's Differences. Keep the cross-cultural dialogue going at his Jacksonville.com blog or at www.yforum.com. Send general column comments to yforum (at) yforum.com. You can also hear his podcasts.