WordWeave WonderXpress: Ten MISSED conceptions about the English language you prolly don't know!
Welcome on board, thrill-seekers of language! I am Kyle, and I will be your guide in today’s adventure. Fasten your seatbelts for an exciting voyage through the bizarre realm of English language today. Prepare yourself for turns, twists, and a ton of fun as we dispel several falsehoods that have long caused misunderstandings in language. Hop on in and welcome to WordWeave Wonders! Our destination? English language misconceptions!
1. Before I After E Except After C:
With several exceptions, the English language does not strictly follow this norm. Terms like "seize" and "weird" contradict it, thus it's more of a suggestion than a hard and fast law. We must be alert to this peculiarity of English spelling.
2. Apostrophes and Possession:
Because "its" indicates possession and "it's" is a contraction of "it is," people frequently confuse the two words. Names with an apostrophe ('s') provide an additional level of intricacy; whether to use an apostrophe or not depends on the style guide and the individual.
3. 'An' Goes Before Words That Start with H:
Words that begin with 'h' should use 'an' before them depending on the sound rather than the letter. Even though the word "history" starts with a "h," the sound is a consonant "h," hence the correct phrase is "a history" rather than "an history."
4. Hyphens and Dashes:
Dashes have distinct functions in sentence construction, whereas hyphens link words in particular instances. Understanding the differences between emdashes, endashes, and hyphens improves the accuracy and readability of your work.
5. 'Would Of' and 'Off Of':
Accepting the appropriate contractions, like "would've," helps prevent the widespread misunderstanding that arises from the spoken contraction "would've" sounding like "would of." Like this, using shorter prepositions in place of "off of" preserves professionalism and clarity.
6. English Proficiency and Regional Dominance:
Although native speakers may perform exceptionally well in spoken English, advanced writing calls for abilities. Proficiency in writing is not enough to master academic writing; one must also grasp formal structures, styles, and conventions.
7. British English Superiority:
Even while American and British English both have distinctive qualities, it is arbitrary to think of one as being better than the other. Since language is a living thing, it is always changing and offers unique linguistic flavors that are influenced by the historical and cultural backgrounds of its speakers.
8. Starting Sentences with Conjunctions:
It is not a grammatical rule, but a stylistic preference, that sentences cannot begin with a conjunction. This method has been employed for decades by numerous well-known writers, from Shakespeare up to Bard, adding to the language's organic flow and fluidity.
9. Ending Sentences with Prepositions:
Rather than being a matter of grammar, the dislike of concluding sentences with a preposition comes from historical influences. Enforcing strict restrictions prohibiting the use of prepositions at sentence ends can impede the expression of natural language in English.
10. The Passive Voice Predicament:
The passive voice has definite use in informational communication; it is not intrinsically wrong. Even though it's best to avoid overusing it, there are instances in which the passive voice improves clarity, particularly when the action's performer is unclear or irrelevant.
That's it, language daredevils! Even though English grammar has its peculiarities, the journey is unquestionably exciting. Thus, welcome the curves and accept the twists as the delight of language takes you on a memorable adventure! Once again, I am Kyle, your humble guide, signing-off as you take off from today’s ride. Peace!
About the Author:
Kyle Christian C. Villalon, simply known as Kyle, is a bona fide student of Bulacan State University – Sarmiento Campus currently taking the program of Bachelor of Secondary Education, Major in English, and Minor in Mandarin.
Kyle has been a self-proclaimed connoisseur of fine arts, natural science, history, anything weeb-ish, and cats throughout his lifetime. He has been a representative of his school in matters of journalism and science and garnered a couple of awards. His hobbies include painting, drawing, sketching, art viewing, reading history books, watching anime, motorcycle riding, and rubbing the bellies of their family cats.
He is currently writing and illustrating his own one-shot comic and juggles academics at the same time as of writing. He aspires to become a professional comic creator and an educator someday, hoping to graduate college without going insane.
References:
Ginger Article - 8 biggest misconceptions about the English language. (n.d.). Www.gingersoftware.com. Retrieved January 26, 2024, from https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/8-biggest-misconceptions-about-the-english-language
Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language. (2014, September 1). The Writer’s Cookbook. https://www.writerscookbook.com/fake-rules-of-grammar/
Wikipedia Contributors. (2019, December 20). Common English usage misconceptions. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_English_usage_misconceptions
10 Misconceptions About the English Language. (2015, May 19). Mental Floss. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/64150/10-misconceptions-about-english