A Day in the Life of a Grammar Columnist

 

FROM: USC David
TO: June Casagrande
SUBJECT: Wrong!

I realize the article is almost 2 years old, but I barely saw it.

You claimed a lot of people don't know that "Talk to Mary or me" is grammatical. It's not. It's "Talk to me or Mary."

 

FROM: June Casagrande
TO: USC David
SUBJECT: Re: Wrong!

Actually, grammar has no rules about the order of nouns or pronouns in a coordinate noun phrase, regardless of whether it's functioning as a subject or object.

So "Talk to Mary or me" is just as grammatical as "Talk to me or Mary.

Grammar's funny like that: It's about syntactical function, not propriety. That's why it's also perfectly grammatical to say "I and John went to the movies." No one would say that, of course. But it's as grammatically correct as "John and I went to the movies."

Perhaps you're confusing grammar with properness? They're very different.

Thanks for writing!

 

FROM: USC David
TO: June Casagrande
SUBJECT: Re: Wrong!

If it makes you feel better to make up the rules, fine. I'm amused on a daily basis about the dumbing down of America. Thanks for showing how we've gotten here. You point out an error and people try to argue the point, no matter how wrong they are, rather than taking advantage of the opportunity to learn & grow.

See ya!

 

FROM: June Casagrande
TO: USC David
SUBJECT: Re: Wrong!

You're right: I should seek out more information and learning opportunities.

So please tell me where I can learn more about the wrongness of "talk to Mary or me." I have a dozens of grammar books and not one of them backs you up. So if you have some good sources that contradict them, that would indeed be very educational for me.

 

FROM: USC David
TO: June Casagrande
SUBJECT: Re: Wrong!

I have no need to read more of your stupidity. I hit delete without even opening it.

Some people don't want to learn and that's ok. I just don't need to be a part of it.

See ya!!

 

FROM: June Casagrande
TO: USC David
SUBJECT: I want to learn. Teach me. Point me to good sources.

Had you wanted to learn how I'd replied to your last email, you'd have read this:

<<You're right: I should seek out more information and learning opportunities.

<<So please tell me where I can learn more about the wrongness of "talk to Mary or me." I have a dozens of grammar books and not one of them backs you up. So if you have some good sources that contradict them, that would indeed be very educational for me.>>

 

FROM: USC David
TO: June Casagrande
SUBJECT: Re: I want to learn. Teach me. Point me to good sources.

In addition to not being able to write, you can't read either. Your notes go right in the trash.

 

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