Grammar and Standards

   Editors and those knowledgeable about language hear sounds and pronunciations that vary widely from standard usage.
   Spelling and grammar are critical elements in establishing a standard. Pronunciation may vary according to regional and social dialects, but spelling does not. Some writers use dialectal spellings to establish a character, and this is a useful device. But in doing so, the writer risks losing the attention of the reader. Therefore, writing in dialect should be done sparingly, and only in dialog passages to fix the social status of the character.
   While there are certainly many variations in speech patterns, grammar and usage, there is general agreement on a standard, which enables users in a nation with numerous dialects to communicate in writing with relative ease.
    Moreover, unless the regional or social level of the speaker is essential to the nature of the character, people in broadcasting or show business should use what some linguists call the "standard American written English," with appropriate speech patterns to match.
   There are exceptions, of course. Dr. Phil McGraw relies heavily on his Texas drawl to establish his TV persona, and may not have achieved the success he has without it.
   On the other hand, letters and sounds that are dropped by some news announcers can detract from the attention span of listeners. It's common in many dialects to drop consonants -- in particular a T or a D  -- from the middle of a word, or to change a T to a D between two vowels.
   For example, here are some pronunciations heard on Philadelphia TV stations:
   "Two hunnerd dollars."  "Dennisry," when referring to the work of a dentist. And "Alannic Siddy," the town famous for its Boardwalk and casinos on the coast of New Jersey.
   
   Dialectology and Sociolinguistics are important fields, and are to be honored for their contributions to the study of language and social relationships.
   At the same time, however, there are standards for effective communication, and it's important for writers and broadcasters to adhere to these standards, if only because failure to do so detracts from the message.