What is an error in English?
The concept of language errors is a
fuzzy one. I'll leave to linguists the technical definitions. Here we're
concerned only with deviations from the standard use of English as judged by
sophisticated users such as professional writers, editors, teachers, and literate
executives and personnel officers. The aim of this site is to help you avoid low
grades, lost employment opportunities, lost business, and titters of amusement at
the way you write or speak.
But isn't one person's mistake another's standard usage?
Often enough,
but if your standard usage causes other people to consider you stupid or
ignorant, you may want to consider changing it. You have the right to express
yourself in any manner you please, but if you wish to communicate effectively,
you should use nonstandard English only when you intend to rather than fall
into it because you don't know any better.
Why don't you cover all important points of grammar?
Other sites do this; mine is dedicated to errors in usage. This is not a site dealing
with grammar in general.
I'm learning English as a second language. Will this site help me improve my
English?
Very likely, though it's really aimed at the most common errors
of native speakers. The errors others make in English differ according to the
characteristics of their first languages. Speakers of other languages tend to
make some specific errors that are uncommon among native speakers, so you may
also want to consult sites dealing specifically with English as a second language
(see
http://www.cln.org/subjects/esl_cur.html and
http://esl.about.com/education/adulted/esl/). There is also a Help Desk for ESL
students at Washington State University at
http://www.wsu.edu/~gordonl/ESL/. An outstanding book you may want to order is
Ann Raimes'
Keys for Writers.
Aren't some of these points awfully picky?
This is a relative matter.
One person's gaffe is another's peccadillo. Some common complaints about usage
strike me as too persnickety, but I'm just discussing mistakes in English that
happen to bother me. Feel free to create your own page listing your own pet
peeves, but I welcome suggestions for additions to these pages. First, read the
Commonly Made Suggestions page, and if you still want to
write me, please do so, after reading the instructions on that page.
What gives you the right to say what an error in English is?
I could
take the easy way out and say I'm a professor of English and do this sort of
thing for a living. True, but my Ph.D. is in comparative literature, not
composition or linguistics, and I teach courses in the history of ideas rather
than language as such. But I admire good writing and try to encourage it in my
students.
Why do you discuss mainly American usage?
Because I'm an American, my
students are mostly American, most English-speaking Web users are Americans, and
American English is quickly becoming an international standard. I am slowly
reworking the site to take note of American deviations from standard British
practice. However, the job is complicated by the fact that Canadians,
Australians, and many others often follow patterns somewhere between the two. If
the standard usage where you are differs from what is described here, tell me
about it; and if I think it's important to do so, I'll note that fact. Meanwhile,
just assume that this site is primarily about American English. If you feel tempted to argue with me, click here
first.
Does it oppress immigrants and subjugated minorities to insist on the use of
standard English?
Language standards can certainly be used for oppressive purposes; but
most speakers and writers of all races and classes want to use language
in a way that will impress others. It is interesting that in the debate
over Oakland, California's proposed "ebonics" policy, African-American
parents were especially outspoken in arguing that to allow students to
regard street slang as legitimate in an educational setting was to limit
them and worsen their oppressed status. The fact is that the world
is full of teachers, employers, and other authorities who may penalize
you for your non-standard use of the English language. Feel free to
denounce these people if you wish; but if you need their good opinion to
get ahead, you'd be wise to learn standard English. Note that I
often suggest differing usages as appropriate depending on the setting:
spoken vs. written, informal vs. formal; slang is often highly
appropriate. In fact, most of the errors discussed on this site are
common in the writing of privileged middle-class Americans, and some are
characteristic of people with advanced degrees and considerable
intellectual attainments. However you come down on this issue, note that
the great advantage of an open Web-based educational site like this is
that it's voluntary: take what you want and leave the rest.
But you made a mistake yourself!
We all do, from time to time. If you
think you've found an error in my own writing, first read the "Commonly Made Suggestions" page, then follow the instructions
on that page if you still think I need correcting.
I've changed many aspects of these pages in response to such mail; even if I
disagree with you, I try to do so politely. If you write me, please don't call me
"Brian." My given name is Paul.
Read about the forthcoming book based on this site.
Paul Brians
Professor of English
Washington State
University
Pullman, WA 99164-5020
Paul Brians' home page containing links to many other useful resources.
Recommended as an "Incredibly Useful Site" in Magazine, July, 1997, pp. 82-83 and cited as a
Yahoo "Site of the Week" and recommended by
Netsurfer Digest March 5, 1999. It has also been recommended in the pages of The
Weekend Australian, The Bangkok Post,
the Los Angeles Times (a David Colker column widely reprinted around the
U.S.), the Seattle Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Halifax Chronicle-Herald, Ziff-Davis' Inside the Internet,
newsletter The Web magazine, and
March 15, 1999 and many other and periodicals.
Also recommended by
In its first year this page was accessed more than 60,000 times (March 1997-March 1998).
Number of hits since
January 5, 1998.
If you are linking to this site, please use this address: http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/.