English can be a confusing language, given that it offers so many alternative forms of a single word to the user. The major division is between American English and British English, and the Non-English speaking nations adopt either of these two. As such, one confronts variations in spelling of same words, for instance: color and colour are both grammatically correct. However, the validity of its usage depends solely upon the circumstances of its use.
No matter which version a person is following, it’s important that they follow correct grammar. Proper grammatical sense is something that needs to be worked on from a very young age. Also, a person having a mother tongue other than English can learn and use the language, in fact he can learn it at a later age if he wishes, and it would not be much of an issue as long as he is willing to learn. English serves as a common medium, a mode of communication between different nations speaking different languages. In most developed countries, it is the soul mode of formal interactions. Therefore, any person willing to build up a bright future must have an appropriate grip on the language for a very practical purpose.
Evolution of the English language:
The English language which we use today was not always like this, but over ages it has changed, transformed and evolved. It’s much like a living organism, that’s ever growing and ever changing. In fact, the language itself comprises not only native sources but also foreign borrowings. French, Latin and Sanskrit are some of the languages which have greatly influenced the English language, and innumerous English words have been developed from native French, Latin or Sanskrit words. So if we go back towards the beginning and step into the Anglo-Saxon period, we’ll be faced with a form of English that greatly differs from the present state of English Language.
Also, over the ages, great authors have left their marks on the language, often introducing or rather creating exclusive words to express their ideas or emotions. Such littérateurs have also played a significant role in shaping the language. Take William Shakespeare for instance, who added several new words of his own creation into the common English man’s vocabulary.
Even to this day, the language is growing. A proper example would be the very recent inclusion of the word ‘selfie’ into Oxford Dictionary. A few years back, this word didn’t even exist.
What makes Grammar so important?
Inspired by the ideas stated in the previous paragraphs, students should not try to make their own contributions toward the language. To put it simply, unless you’re Shakespeare, you don’t have that right! Yet students start making this mistake of being grammatically creative and this habit persists even as they grow up and become professionals. Particularly in the present times, with the increasing influence of SMS lingo, people are completely abandoning their limited knowledge of grammar, and the English language is now more threatened than ever.
All these experimentation’s to either shorten a word or to make it sound more ‘cool’ are only tainting the language. Young children have already replaced ‘you’ for ‘u’ and can often not see the difference between ‘there’ and ‘their’. But one cannot make arbitrary use of the English language without paying for it, and this payment comes in form of derogatory remarks from teachers, bitter grades and lost opportunities. Thus, there are not one, but several hazards of not having an appropriate sense of grammar.
Tricks that can help people to make an acceptable use of grammar:
At least on formal occasions, one must resist the urge to play with the language and should follow set norms and rules for their own good. On a serious note, if you do not possess a correct sense of grammar, know for sure that you’ll be faced with obstacles in every step of your career, beginning from your early school days.
The language, however, is not too difficult to master if one puts his heart into it. The best course is to develop the habit of writing and speaking in the language from an early age. There are some basic tricks, following which a person can acquire a commendable command over the language:
- Get a thorough idea about the figures of speech: you’ll need them till the end of your life.
- Language, unlike mathematics, will not leave you alone after a certain age. Language is something that you’ll need even for basic interactions throughout your life – so start paying attention.
- Get appropriate grammar books that can help you with basics.
- Practice the use of language while learning it.
- One must also focus on the proper use of tense, without which a sentence can go all wrong.
- Proper attention must be paid to spellings and use of punctuations.
- Master the art of sentence construction, with use of active or passive voice, as per requirement.
- Make use of Dictionaries, Grammar books and if possible, get help from an experienced Grammar teacher.
Apart from the use of these elements of speech, one also needs to concentrate on another important thing: pronunciation.
Pronunciation:
Even when people know the correct spellings, have an absolute idea about the use of tense and know how to phrase a sentence, they may still go wrong with the pronunciations. When one is delivering a public speech, or say, having a normal conversation with a colleague, an improper pronunciation can make him/her the butt of jokes. Thus, wrong pronunciations inevitably lead to embarrassing situations. A good way to be sure about one’s pronunciation is to follow the dictionary which successfully explains how to pronounce a word. When in confusion, people can use Google translator’s audio feature to be sure about themselves.
Outcomes of not having adequate grammar sense:
- Be prepared to lose marks in exams, simply on the basis of grammatical errors.
- You’ll be a constant target for cyber-bullies or more precisely, ‘grammar-nazis’ in this case. Basically, you can forget about expressing your views in a public forum without being humiliated.
- No reputed organization will be willing to hire you unless you can write and speak in correct and fluent English.
- There’ll be a constant linguistic barrier among you and people who do not speak your mother tongue.
To be frank, one cannot really expect to establish a successful, bright career for himself, unless he has the requisite grasp over English language. And if you’re willing to learn, it is nothing too hard. So start now and brush up your sense of English grammar for a better future and a better life.