Brian J Goggin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >You can't go around laying >down rules for how people are to use the language: once they >understand each other, that's all that you need to worry about. You >were not in the least confused about what the original poster meant. >Someone for whom English was a second or subsequent language might >have a problem, which is why world standard English has more formal >conventions, but in informal discussion you may adopt a more relaxed >attitude.
Often, one can correctly determine the meaning when the grammar is inaccurate. But sometimes one cannot, and on some of those occasions the resulting misunderstanding can cause serious problems. So (unintended) inaccuracy is never a good idea. If one gets in the habit of not bothering to be accurate, one will more likely be inaccurate when it is important to be accurate. > You don't have to tell speakers (or writers) what to do: I >mean, you wouldn't go around telling waterways users what to do, would >you? Of course not. But I might advise them, maybe even forcefully. Adrian . Adrian Stott 07956-299966
