Isn’t it interesting the way our definition of what’s ‘correct’ can change over time? I read this in last week’s Language and words in the news, about changes to the ‘Chicago style’ that’s said to form the basis of what we consider to be ‘right’ in writing. I was also reading Lynne Truss’ fabulous Eats Shoots and Leaves, on the same topic. You think that once you’ve learnt something (and feel able to pass it on to students), you’re ready to go, but in truth, that’s not enough; you have to be constantly alert to trends in language, so that what you teach is up-to-the-minute, but not ‘faddy’. Such a delicate balance!
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I agree – it is a delicate balance. As teachers, we need to stay on top of it, to make sure we are appropriately educating out students. With that said – I am thrilled that the ‘ebonics’ talking trend has fallen away.
Kind regards.
As a student, though, you feel like you can never really get anything right, because it’s always changing. 🙁