By ROSALIND BENTLEY
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 07/14/08
Lie, lay, might, may, that, which, I before E except after C. Why crowd your overloaded memory bank with the rules? That's what grammar check is for, right?
Grammar Girl might caution against relying on that device.
Her Grammar Girl podcasts have been a hit on iTunes since they began nearly two years ago. But now grammarian Mignon Fogarty is about to make her first big foray into old media. Her new book, "Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing," was released last week.She'll be at Georgia Center for the Book at the Decatur Public Library on Wednesday. We reached her in advance to see if she could help us break the grammar-check habit.Q: How do you feel about spell check or grammar check? Does it make us lazy?
A: I think spell check is a good thing. I don't think you should ever send off a document without running it through spell check. ... Grammar check is not as useful as spell check. Grammar checkers can be helpful, but I would never trust one. They can highlight something that you should double-check, but I would never take their word for it.
Q: Who's your grammar idol? In your book you kind of take out Strunk and White.
A: Strunk and White ["The Elements of Style"] is a classic, but people don't adhere to some of their advice now. Certain things have become permissible. Like not starting a sentence with "however." Most modern language usage experts agree that it's fine, even though Strunk and White say you shouldn't. My favorite reference guide is Garner's Modern American Usage. I love it.
Q: What's the grammar rule you break most often?
A: I often start sentences with conjunctions. It's not really a rule that you can't, but it's a very informal style. I advise people not to do it in business letters and cover letters, but I do it all the time. That's just the way I talk.
Q: Do you feel like the grammar police?
A: The longer I do this, the less things annoy me. I realize how much in flux language is and how many things there are to know. So I'm understanding of people who don't know all the rules. My goal is to answer people's questions and help them not feel bad about errors they make.
Q: What are the most common errors we make?
A: The two biggest myths are that you shouldn't end a sentence with a preposition and that you shouldn't split infinitives. Nearly all modern grammarians don't hold people to those rules. ... You shouldn't contort your sentence just so you won't end it with a preposition. But I would tell people never split an infinitive in a cover letter because you never know who's reading it.
Q: I can't use commas to save my life. Do you have a jingle I could sing, like one from "Schoolhouse Rock," to help me?
A: I don't have a jingle for the comma. Commas are tough.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Mignon Fogarty, aka Grammar Girl, discusses "Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing." 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Georgia Center for the Book, Decatur Public Library, 215 Sycamore St., Decatur. 404-370-8450, ext. 2225; www.georgia
centerforthebook.org
