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It is much more difficult to speak properly when there are no role models. I am such an old fogey. When I was in school the teacher used to tell us to listen to news commentators who were paid for speaking well and to emulate them. Now, I hear some of them pronounce 'nuclear' just as badly as the President does.
There seems to be, nowadays, a lacking of standards in language. A young person frequently has no reference to know what is the preferred way of speaking.
I was listening to a public service blurb concerning a teacher's strike in New York. A teacher, the spokesperson, was complaining about how they merrited an increase in pay. Her use of the language was pathetic. That was their face to the public, and I shudder to think of the horrors the poor kids are exposed to in class when the cameras are not on the educators.
When Bloomberg first took office in New York, education was to be his top priority. I am sure he tried, but two mayors before him could not straighten out that system and I doubt if he did, either. The pity is, the New York public education system used to be one of, if not THE, best in the nation, with all sorts of specialized high schools for young people who excelled in one thing or another.
All who can afford it are now putting their children into private schools, extracting more of the really bright kids whose parents care and leaving the public schools with a higher percentage of mediocre and problem students than they possibly had in the past.
That, coupled with many good teachers, I am told, leaving the profession, being frustrated that they get no satisfaction from teaching any more.
Children, too, are problems. Years back, if the genetic roulette of having a child dealt you with one who might be a bit difficult and require special attention, usually mom was home and could afford the extra time to spend with the child. That smoothed over little Tommy's rough edges at times. Now, life is more hectic and there is little slack time left in the day to day life of parents to deal with kids who may be borderline problems. So the kid is neglected and acts out in class.
Pre Sesame Street, my mom sent me to school knowing how to read and print and write in script. I was an only child and she was home with me until I was 5 years old. She always tried to appeal to what logic I had and to explain things to me. I think parents who cannot take the time to do that might end up having wilder, less obedient kids.
Then, I think years back teachers would be more inclined to teach to the top of the class, thinking it is an incentive for slower childern to spend more time catching up. I believe now they teach to the middle or lower half of the class, so nobody feels poorly. Perhaps there may even be a concept of speaking the kid's language because he learns the subject better that way.
Also, in high school, every paper in every class had points taken off if the spelling or usage was poor - even in science.
This is an amazing post with wonderful points.
I wonder if the decline in reading influences poor speech? Adults have such busy work schedules that they have difficulty fitting in family and free time into their lives, let alone the luxury of sitting down with a great book. Children who do not see their parents read often generally do not pick up the interest in casual reading either. The days of students entering school with the ability to read and write are virtually gone. In some districts many students do not even begin to pick up the basics of reading or writing until the second grade! Speech, reading, and writing are very much entwined and dependant forces. I wish more money were pumped into these programs in our school systems, and hope the decline is not an ever-downward movement in our culture.
It is much more difficult to speak properly when there are no role models.
you are absolutely correct. Mothers, Fathers, Grandparents, Mentors, Teachers, etc............
Quote:
Originally Posted by goldengrain
There seems to be, nowadays, a lacking of standards in language. A young person frequently has no reference to know what is the preferred way of speaking.
Once again, correct, especially when the adults themselves do not use proper grammer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by goldengrain
I was listening to a public service blurb concerning a teacher's strike in New York. A teacher, the spokesperson, was complaining about how they merrited an increase in pay. Her use of the language was pathetic. That was their face to the public, and I shudder to think of the horrors the poor kids are exposed to in class when the cameras are not on the educators.
I've heard a high percentage of teachers chopping up the language, so again no surprise that they have difficulty correcting students
That, coupled with many good teachers, I am told, leaving the profession, being frustrated that they get no satisfaction from teaching any more.
I think this is the reason that I used teachers as an example. The majority of "good" teachers have left and are continuing to leave teaching, because of their inability to teach children, due to all the political b.s.
Quote:
Originally Posted by goldengrain
Children, too, are problems. Years back, if the genetic roulette of having a child dealt you with one who might be a bit difficult and require special attention, usually mom was home and could afford the extra time to spend with the child. That smoothed over little Tommy's rough edges at times. Now, life is more hectic and there is little slack time left in the day to day life of parents to deal with kids who may be borderline problems. So the kid is neglected and acts out in class.
I agree with your comment however, I find it a "cop out"/"poor excuse" for a parent not to take the time to be a parent. My Mother worked and raised 4 children as a single parent however she always found the time to assist with homework, cook dinner, etc. We didn't lose hours in our days, it's just that many people are not fit to be parents and use the excuse of being a single parent, or having to work as a cop out for not raising their children!
Quote:
Originally Posted by goldengrain
Pre Sesame Street, my mom sent me to school knowing how to read and print and write in script. I was an only child and she was home with me until I was 5 years old. She always tried to appeal to what logic I had and to explain things to me. I think parents who cannot take the time to do that might end up having wilder, less obedient kids..
I too entered school knowing how to read and write. My daughter started reading at 3 and by the time she entered Kindergarten she was already reading at 2nd grade level. I worked but I also used every precious moment to teach my child. She started writing in script at 2nd grade once I enrolled her in private school - I couldn't teach her this on my own
Quote:
Originally Posted by goldengrain
Also, in high school, every paper in every class had points taken off if the spelling or usage was poor - even in science.
Schools, elementary to high school rarely correct spelling or grammatical errors. Prior to private school, my daughter came home with A's on classwork, upon reviewing it I noticed mis-spellings. After a few times of this happening, I wrote a note to the teacher asking how was she giving my daughter 100 when 5-6 words were mis-spelled. Her response was that correcting the spelling would hinder a child's writing and would discourage them. Even if the assignment is not being graded for spelling, at the very least, point out the misspellings and write in the proper spelling. It's no wonder my niece (who graduated 2 years ago) can't spell worth a da*n. Not to mention the many CEO's, Engineers, Bankers who I've come across that can't either
Quote:
Originally Posted by 4"L's"
Half the teachers I know do not speak like that, Thank Goodness! Why do we always want to blame teachers? LOL
By the time they come to us they have already had years to learn bad habits from their parents!
I didn't say teachers were 100% responsible but the reality here is that many of the "current" teachers do not correct the students. Regardless of where the child learned to speak improperly, it doesn't negate the fact that when in school, they should be corrected. Whether or not the child chooses to learn from his/her mistakes is another story altogether.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 4"L's"
The WORST is " I'm fixin' to get me something to drank, youontsomethin (one word)". followed by "I be gettin ready to go, youonttogo (one word also)".
That is a southern thing. My great-grandmother (99 yrs) is from Mississippi and since i was a child, she used the word "fixin" and or "finna".
Quote:
Originally Posted by Khayla007
I have also heard what your name is? My mother would kill me!!
That sounds like Miami. When I first moved to Miami and someone came up to me and said that, I nearly DIED. I too asked them "what did you say" and they repeated it. They also say "what time it is"
I wonder if the decline in reading influences poor speech? Adults have such busy work schedules that they have difficulty fitting in family and free time into their lives, let alone the luxury of sitting down with a great book. Children who do not see their parents read often generally do not pick up the interest in casual reading either. The days of students entering school with the ability to read and write are virtually gone. In some districts many students do not even begin to pick up the basics of reading or writing until the second grade! Speech, reading, and writing are very much entwined and dependant forces. I wish more money were pumped into these programs in our school systems, and hope the decline is not an ever-downward movement in our culture.
i went to a book fair at UCLA, and approached a booth with a banner that read, reading by nine, because i was curious about the meaning of the phrase. it was explained that this motto is the goal of LAUSD's childhood literacy program. i still find that both sad and appalling.
i went to a book fair at UCLA, and approached a booth with a banner that read, reading by nine, because i was curious about the meaning of the phrase. it was explained that this motto is the goal of LAUSD's childhood literacy program. i still find that both sad and appalling.
WHY WHY WHY?
I want to know why so many people (even normal looking ones) speak so horribly with the "me and her or her and myself aint got no place to go..... etc."
I am sorry for giving such a poor example but it is foreign to me and my brain doesn't easily come up with language like that. I can understand a slip once in a while but to speak this way constantly baffles me. I wonder if the teachers even take the time to correct this language when they hear it? I would guess that the parent doesn't. Why is this the norm now?
I'm still trying to figure out why an entire generation puts the word "like" before every other word. It's like incredibly like stupid sounding. This along with the excessive use of the word "kewl."
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