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Pastimes : SI Grammar and Spelling Lab -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dayuhan who wrote (1504)	9/2/1998 11:45:00 PM
From: jpmac	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 4711

>>It's reasonable to break rules, if you do it for a specific reason, to gain a specific desired effect.<< Sounds rather contrived and utterly lacking in the spontaneity characteristic of jibberish and colorful ranting. And it would establish a rule for breaking a rule, which makes not a lot of sense. But perhaps I quibble, as well as start sentences with connectives.

To: Dayuhan who wrote (1504)	9/3/1998 12:29:00 AM
From: David C. Burns	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 4711

I've often heard the E.E. Cummings precedent invoked to defend inattention to rules. That would be the e.e. cummings precedent, of course.

To: Dayuhan who wrote (1504)	9/5/1998 12:25:00 PM
From: Rambi	Read Replies (4) \| Respond to of 4711

I certainly wouldn't argue with you; I'm very grammatically anal and often go on winding journeys into textbooks when I'm writing and am not sure of a rule. One of the recent education theories I've seen espoused in the schools is emphasizing individual creativity before grammar. The children are encouraged to write what they want, not worrying about grammatical context, the theory being that they will learn structure as they go or later, or who knows when. This horrifies me. I firmly believe that you can't break rules until you know the rules. On the other hand, I sang back-up vocals with a band years ago and the lead guitarist had no formal training. When I said I thought he would benefit from some formal knowledge of music theory, he disagreed. He thought it would screw up his natural talent. I still disagree with him, but he made it really, really big. And I didn't.