?Criticize Bush?s polices, sure,? writes Andy Lamey in the
Canadian newspaper National Post, ?but don?t bash his
pronunciation.? Lamey, himself a former ?language bully,? posits
that since Bush took office, it?s increasingly popular to take a
jab at his grammar, and that ?grammatical correctness has become
political correctness.? He says prescriptivism?as language bullying
is more formally called?goes too far when it creates a
right-and-wrong mentality. The point of most things we say is to
simply establish the fact that we?re communicating. Language is
constantly evolving and is a fluid, creative medium that should
allow for a wide diversity of meanings and usages. Words once on a
language bully?s hit list are ultimately legitimized when they land
in the dictionary. Better to take issue with the president?s
policies, says Lamey, not his grammar.
?Anne Geske