The Grumpy Grammarian

   Many grammarians -- and copy editors -- are grumpy, since they expect writers to adhere to standards of usage in preparing text, including spelling, punctuation, sentence structure and, for broadcast folk, pronunciation.
   There are, of course, standards, and they vary by dialect, which can be either regional or social level. But the only thing that gives one dialect more prestige than another is a social judgment, not linguistic.
   To a linguist, all dialects are equal; each enables its speakers to communicate thoughts and ideas with precision and accuracy. To self-appointed grammarians and guardians of what they call "proper usage," the "right way" to speak and write is their way. Others are, by their definition, "incorrect."
   Nonetheless, political and social success can often depend on how well a writer or speaker masters the standards of usage established by the dominant social group.
   Meanwhile, readers expect writers, especially in journalism, to follow the standards of usage that used to be taught in schools. There was a reason they were called "grammar schools."
   For instance, some writers have not learned the difference between "who" and "whom," and they use "that" when referring to people, when it should be "who."
   Or they become so enamored of what they are doing that they keep rambling on in increasingly complex sentences, so that the subject of a sentence is separated from its relevant verb by four or more lines of type.
   Too often, by the time the reader gets to the verb and the concluding part of the sentence, he or she has forgotten what the beginning of the sentence was about.
   It's true that a reader can go back and read the beginning of the sentence again, but good writers don't make them do that. Writers for radio and television, moreover, know that they get only one chance to get their message across to the listener.
   Copy editors know what the standards are and how they affect reader and listener comprehension, even as readers themselves may be unaware of the mechanics involved. They do know, however, when something is difficult to read and comprehend.
   Communication is the goal of writers and broadcasters. Don't make the task of reading and listening difficult by failing to follow the generally accepted standard rules of grammar, punctuation, style and spelling.
   Or, if you must break the rules to establish the character of a person or issue, know that you're doing it and be careful. Use non-standard usage only when absolutely necessary.