Reflections of a reformed grammar Nazi

As the 47th president of the United States, Donald J. Trump's seemingly incoherent word salads may be dismissed as the ramblings of an elderly man in mental and physical decline. However, one could also argue that Trump's struggles with the English language reveal a deliberate disregard for grammar rules that resonates with his support base.

His limited vocabulary, disrespect for formal syntax, and contempt for punctuation have never hindered him from effectively delivering his message as a public speaker and communicator. Trump's simplistic language, characterized by simple words, short sentences, constant repetition, and blunt delivery, maximizes impact with minimal polish, grammar rules, and pretentious language.

This "dumbing down" of the language is a microcosm of a global shift towards hyper-simplified English usage, stripped of formalities and tailored to resonate on digital platforms. This evolution, driven by technological advances that transform how we convey and exchange information, feelings, and ideas, may be enabling faster and more effective communication, democratizing the language across countries and cultures. The question remains, does form truly matter as much as function?

For an editor at the South China Morning Post, who adheres to formal British English, these musings may seem blasphemous. However, they do not reflect a weakening in resolve to enforce correct and appropriate use of English. Instead, there is a shift towards a more lenient approach, focusing on the difference between "it may not be wrong per se but that's not how we do it here" rather than "don't do that, it's wrong."

This means a dialing down of the grammar Nazi within editors like the author, who can be triggered by the increasing irrelevance of rules governing sentence structure and the acceptance of seemingly silly new words.

Consider the phrase "it will likely happen," once considered an unacceptable distortion of "it is likely to happen." Now, "likely" has become a stand-alone adverb and a substitute for "probably," widely accepted and even preferred as a shortcut. Another example is the abbreviation "mob" derived from the Latin mobile vulgus, meaning "fickle crowd."

English usage in HBO's Deadwood series is an exhilarating combination of mining camp slang, biblical articulation, and modern-day profanity, reflecting the evolution of language and its adaptation to different audiences.

The author inherited her pedantry in correct English usage from her teacher, Miss Patricia Russell, who encouraged her to pursue a career with the language. She wonders how Miss Russell would feel about her grudging acceptance and adoption of contemporary slang and trending jargon in her published work. Despite the limits to her tolerance for illiteracy, the author recognizes the dynamic and adaptive nature of language, and is open to the possibility that "it can only good happen" for the future of human communication.