English - wrote good, spoke crook!

No English meaning, spelling, or grammar is permanent.

It is a changing language, shifting steadily and becoming more complex as word meanings, spelling, and syntax alter. It evolves as new words and phrases illustrate our transformed, developing lifestyles. This is more noticeable in the spoken than written form, but both alter persistently. I admire people attempting to learn English, a difficult language with origins in Latin, French, Greek, German, Celtic and Scandinavian dialects, each with different grammatical rules.

As new ideas or concepts emerge, new words express them. They may have older roots, or be created afresh for the task. Nowadays, it would be rare to hear: “Forsooth; I carest not what thou think; begone!”, but most would understand: “Oi! To hell with you; p-ss off!”

There are delightful shades of meanings and pronunciations and how they can be applied under the rules of grammar. Although these conventions change over time, they are not manifestations of tyranny, but guidelines for common sense to avoid misunderstanding and aid clear expression.

Yet, despite reasonable education, it is disappointing that some people cannot spell properly, or speak in a correct, informal way.

But, what is “correct”? Does correctness depend on custom?

For example, it has become the norm to pronounce the number “zero” as “OH” in phone numbers. “O” is a letter, not a number, yet the wrong option is taken. Is it assumed that, one day, this will be an example of how language changes?

Many folk tend just to mouth something without thinking either of the correct way to say it, or a better way. Take the gabbling mumble of many sportsmen during media interviews; it’s hard to make sense of it (or is this a form of personality branding?).

Error is buoyed by many in the media who are well-educated, but fail to write well or speak properly.

Some newsreaders on ABC radio and television, from whom one would expect better, are an example. This is particularly evident in the regular stressing of prepositions, rather than nouns, within a sentence.

Readers’ phrasing and delivery often indicate poor use of grammar, which diminishes their credibility. Perhaps it is due to bad writing, or their not reading through items before the bulletin to sub-edit the copy and mark up stress points.

This was one of Brian Henderson’s many attributes and helped position strongly his standing as one of the country’s most authoritative news presenters; he understood a script’s meaning and expressed it clearly.

During ABC news, often I hear phrases such as: “Thousands were AT today’s welcome home ceremony”; might they have been AWAY from it? The subject of that sentence is “ceremony” and adjacent words support or develop the statement.

“TO the weather now, and strong winds are expected …”.The stress should be on “weather”.

“We cross now to bushfire headquarters FOR the latest on the fires”. Nooooo! “Fires” are what the story is about.

During one recent broadcast, it was reported that “police will crack down on late night drinking IN Newcastle”; not OUT of Newcastle? In the same report, I heard a spokesperson from Orange describing how proposed rain water harvesting would direct more water “TO the city”. It’s good to hear it’s not going FROM the city.

Stressing the nouns rather than supporting prepositions is important, and society is influenced by the language of those to whom it listens; the trend is to ape the stylists - monkey hear, monkey say!

Good speech is often reserved for formal occasions, but ought to be commonplace. Some folk view well-spoken people as snobbish, but isn’t that just the “tall poppy” syndrome? Surely it is easier to understand and enjoy the discourse of linguistic “snobs”, than that of verbally lazy “yobs”?

Australians grow careless about the way they express themselves, and not just colloquially. But colloquial speech may express the feelings of a speaker aptly; a beautiful sunset can be described as honestly by: “what a ripper” as the more formal: “a truly glorious sunset”. There is a strong difference in personal rapport between: “good morning” and “ower ya goin’, mate - orright?”

Much delicious irony and humour exists in everyday speech, including the exaggeration of accent to create comedy; comedians often have excellent comprehension of language.

Correct speech is what is correct for an occasion, but this means knowing how to say something effectively, rather than being ignorant, lazy, and saying it badly. Applying the rules of speech and grammar properly is not being pedantic, merely knowledgeable about their use. However, Winston Churchill once joked: “ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put!”

Language has rules for similar reasons as sport; without them there is confusion. What’s the difference between splitting an infinitive and kicking a cricket ball into touch? Match point!

I have a close friend who, although not born in an English-speaking country, has mastered its grammar and structure to a greater degree than many “locals,” including me. It is a delight to talk with him, particularly about abstract subjects, and when he comments on inappropriate word use, it is interesting to remember that English was not his mother tongue.

Those for whom it is not a first language, probably gain needs-driven comprehension to a greater extent than local linguists who just copy their peers. Imitation reduces awareness of “correctness”, or that what they are hearing, therefore learning, could be corrupted. Being multi-lingual, or at least studying another language is a decided help, but not essential, in appreciating English use and subtleties

I remember, fondly, my high school days way back in the era when language studies were mandatory. Students tolerated language lessons with differing degrees of enthusiasm, while some were motivated to absorb the culture of the country whose idiom was being learnt.

My form was particularly lucky to have an inspiring Latin teacher. Regularly, he required us to chat exclusively in Latin, except when seeking his guidance. If there was no English word or phrase equivalent, we had to create one and justify our reasons for doing so. Needless to say, learning was fun!

This mentor awakened the desire to study the history and application of aspects of Roman civilisation; such things as its legal system, imperialism, and the army. I found myself borrowing and reading books in Latin on these subjects: it just seemed a natural thing to do, and I understood the language well. This led to my observing the grammatical rules of other languages and bettering my skill with English. Schooldays awareness of etymology gave an understanding of our dialect and its syntax, and raised awareness of poor or sloppy use.

I feel sorry for those who cannot properly use the expressive, complicated, enormously artistic power of English, which prevents their applying its potential for excellent communication.

I speak Chinese, in which word meanings depend on inflection; in this language, tone is critical. Some of its words are like our homonyms except that meaning is often less subjective, less dependent upon sentence positioning than on intonation.

In English, there is a difference between the noun “book” and the verb to “book”, and the distinction in meaning of the written word “bow”, whether used as a noun or verb. A printed sentence might read: “I’m going to throw the book at you. You’re booked! Now tie your bow tie properly, and bow out!” To make sense of that sentence demands an awareness of homonyms, as well as an understanding of structure. For listeners, all languages are tonal to varying degrees, underscoring the relationship of correct pronunciation to interpretation.

Today’s educational problems include literacy, which is affected by wrong grammar and incorrect speech. Americanised English has a high impact on us.

No stage or film actor, or those directing them, would accept the delivery of words in a way that did not suit the mood and gist of the script.

Word emphasis, as well as inflection, controls the meaning of a sentence. There’s an old gag, used to demonstrate this, based on the song: “What Is This Thing Called Love?”

It can be spoken as: “WHAT! Is this thing called LOVE?”, or: “What is this THING called love?, even: “What is THIS thing called, love?” What you stress is what you imply.

Voice-over artists and commercial producers heed emphasis to achieve an advertising aim during recording. There is a big difference between; “BUY now while stocks last”; “buy NOW while stocks last; and “buy now while stocks LAST”. The first is an imperative; the next declaims immediacy; the latter highlights availability.

When Cole Porter wrote “Anything Goes”, he could have been writing about current trends in English usage.

Those who decry correctness suggest that it’s what you say that’s important, not how you say it.

Why, then, have we progressed from the Neanderthal grunt of the caveman, to the oratory of Orson Welles; have we not gained clarity in the process? Then again, listen to some people speaking and ask yourself whether we’ve actually progressed much!

Let English change, but let those changes be with knowledge and understanding; knowledge of the right moment and reason, understanding gained from time spent in learning.

Let the English spoken by those in the vanguard of public awareness be correct, not corrupt.

Some television and radio reporters, early in their careers yet in the forefront of media, should understand that intuitively correct speech and fluency comes with experience, practice, and application of its tenets.

Maybe they need to study parsing, analysis, and grammar, learn how to structure a sentence, how to assign emphasis, and, for the benefit of the many listeners who may be neophyte English users, learn the right way to speak.

Or, in the case of one of my announcer friends of old, to shout! (Sorry, Phil).

Not only is speech a didactic medium, it is an emotive one; its quality bears on whether a speaker’s statements are accepted. A competently spoken address has greater impact than a stumbling, unsure, badly expressed assertion.

Therefore, it is important to know the correct way to do something with speech, before you proceed to “undo” it for dramatic effect, or out of ignorance.

Skill comes from knowledge and practice; anyone can blow a trumpet, but how many play it as well as Louis Armstrong?

English - it’s gotta be talked good! Rules rule!

OK?