Since I was a little kid, I have been fascinated with language. Not all of the experiences have been a pleasant one though. I remember one incident in primary school in my native country--Venezuela. A math teacher wrote an incorrect word on the board; I proceeded to point out the mistake. She replied by saying that her class was not a grammar class, therefore it did not matter. To this day, this experience has taught me that if I am not asked for help in matters of language correctness, I won’t volunteer.
After reading Finegan’s article, I have to admit that I am very aware of the proper use of the English language. I presume this need for perfection has to do with the fact that English is not my first language. Somehow, I feel the obligation and need to speak it and write it with the least amount of mistakes possible. The reason could be that most immigrants--like myself--are more self-conscious when speaking.
Knowing and learning rules of word usage such as who and whom, which and that, etc… is enjoyable to me. I should say that I identify myself with having more prescriptive tendencies than descriptive ones.
On the other hand, throughout the years I have come to realize that variety of language forms or linguistic varieties are interesting and fascinating. I believe such array of possibilities is what makes a language special, enjoyable and unique. Regardless of the generalized opinion on Ebonics, for instance, I find it quite entertaining and fun.
There is no doubt that languages are prone to changes based on experiences, advances, and trends. Variations of forms are more and more accepted. But ultimately, what really matters is getting the message across, regardless of forms and accents.
Jairo Toro
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I share your fascination with language. I'm actually quite jealous of anyone who is bilingual, and I plan on learning Spanish and German (for starters).
I also agree that the important thing is to get the message across, and as a writer I often reflect on what a difficult task that truly is. There used to be this saying about architecture that "form follows function". Say you have multiple functions you want your language to perform (and we all do; there's not getting around that) and the more ambitious they are, the more you have to be aware of form, the more you must know about it.
In many ways this debate about "correctness" is beside the point. Consciousness of what we are saying is the point. Whenever I chide myself about my language use, it is usually about the laziness, lack of creativity, parroting platitudes and cliches and not saying exactly what I mean to say.
My guess is that, being bilingual, you are able to think "I am speaking Engilsh right now"- in other words, using a particular language form- whereas the rest of us merely think "I am speaking" when we think anything at all.
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