Comma Spliced Blog

Nell Hardin

  Nell said you would get an F on any work that contained a comma splice. In high school, she wasn't "Nell", she was the dreaded "Miss Harden", our English teacher. After we graduated, we were permitted to call her Nell.

   I am still in fear of the comma splice. I fear other grammatical errors as well. (The last two sentences came into being as a comma splice; but they were conquered.) I have often wondered, as I have delved into the world of blogging, what mass errors in grammar I have made. "What would Nell say?" I ask myself on a regular basis. I do not even want to know what Nell would say. I fear Nell.

  My scholastic friends often help proofread (for a good laugh, no doubt) to help me out on my uneducated attempt at linguistic creativity. I do appreciate their help (Special thanks to Ben Waggoner, Ashley Faircloth, and Jill Faircloth), as I do thank God for the infamous red lines that pop up under words as I write. Possibly, through all of my trial and error, I will improve in this area of grammar. However, I am not holding my breath.

  I often wish we would correct ourselves more often, and be as critical of each other when we speak. My mother often did this at home, as did  Nell when I was in boarding school. When I was at boarding school, the professors sat at the head of every table with twelve students. For four years I sat at her table for meals. I had no clue why. Was my need to speak correct English so great? Yes.

 "How are you doing today, Gregory?" Nell would ask.
Greg: "Aw, I guess I am doing pretty good!"
Nell :"You mean to say you are doing WELL, correct?" (see, right there, a comma, semicolon, or a period!!??)
Greg: "Yes Ma'am"


  The destruction of our language is in full force these days. Unfortunately, I believe in some odd way I am guilty of it as well. No, I may not speak in some urban language that has not been mapped out by the professors of language, but I do use slanguage in my speak. Transforming how we (or I) actually speak into a written format is a slickery task. Texting has created an entirely new language; that will have to be dealt with at a later time.

  What is wrong about writing like you speak? Have you ever read old documents or books from the 1700's or further back? We have changed. Were they wrong? Not sure about that. So I write in a "conversational style" or some such. I am OK with this. I embrace this. I implore the reader to ignore the occasional grammatical error and hear what is being written. I do wish that I had slept less and paid more attention in Miss Harden's English class.

Click here to see the Five Most Common Grammatical Errors 
Click here to see Five Grammatical Errors that make You Look Dumb

I will be visiting these sites often.
Do not think of Miss Harden when you read my blog.

Thanks,

gf