A lengthy obituary of a socially prominent woman in my town spoke of her impressive education, and the numerous positions she had held in the field of journalism. Toward the end, the writer proudly proclaimed that the lady was a “stickler,” quick to correct anyone’s use of poor grammar. This made me wonder. Did she write her own obit? Or maybe it was one of her children, who thought this was laudable. What do you think? Should you correct someone’s grammar?
Let’s face it. Poor grammar is usually a sign of lower social status in metropolitan areas where most people are well educated. But in rural communities, especially in the Heartland, many farmers are only two generations away from their grandparents who emigrated from Europe. Although affluent, clean, and respectable, they may make grammatical errors like “he don’t” instead of “he doesn’t.” Recent immigrants of all social classes often use poor English, but if they happen to be a doctor or college professor, grammar snobs are more forgiving.
As parents, it’s part of our job to correct our children’s grammar. And most people find it acceptable if their spouse or significant other says something like, “You don’t lay down, you lie down, dear.” Other than that, I believe it’s rude to correct another’s grammar, especially in public. Why would you do it, except to show your moral superiority?
In December of 2017, Fiona McDonald, CEO of ScienceAlert reported: “Scientists found that people who constantly point out grammar mistakes are pretty much jerks.” Apparently, those who are often bothered by grammatical error have “less agreeable” personalities than those who just let them slide. And what about those who are sensitive to typos on your Facebook page.? Psychologists say they’re less open, and more likely to be judging you for your mistakes than anyone else.