Post by Netlinks on May 2, 2009 4:18:00 GMT -5
The Incomprehensible Generation
Teachers have largely turned their backs on teaching obedience to English rules, and no longer teach children correct spelling. No wonder standards of literacy are sinking like the Titanic!
In "Politics and the English Language," George Orwell drew the connection between language and thought. Our language, he wrote, "becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts." We are what we think! Sloppy thoughts lead to sloppy speech and sloppy writing. And the same is true in reverse: If we cannot speak clearly, we cannot think clearly.
"Their vocabulary is poor and mistaken; they have little idea of syntax, cannot punctuate and seem to have no idea of what constitutes a sentence." ... "thousands of children leave school too innumerate and illiterate to hold down a job." Illiteracy equals unemployment. Read all...
Teachers have largely turned their backs on teaching obedience to English rules, and no longer teach children correct spelling. No wonder standards of literacy are sinking like the Titanic!
In "Politics and the English Language," George Orwell drew the connection between language and thought. Our language, he wrote, "becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts." We are what we think! Sloppy thoughts lead to sloppy speech and sloppy writing. And the same is true in reverse: If we cannot speak clearly, we cannot think clearly."Their vocabulary is poor and mistaken; they have little idea of syntax, cannot punctuate and seem to have no idea of what constitutes a sentence." ... "thousands of children leave school too innumerate and illiterate to hold down a job." Illiteracy equals unemployment. Read all...