Interesting article, Joel. My take on "rules" like this is that they're not prescriptive (ie, how something should be done) but descriptive (how they generally are done). Dolphins swim, politicians tell lies, and English speakers put size before colour when listing adjectives. To break the rule isn't necessarily to be wrong; it's to break with a norm. I'm with you - "correcting" someone who does that is counterproductive. There's nothing to correct and, like you say, you'd have to be a bit of a shit to do it most of the time anyway. Keep up the great writing!
Thanks for the comment, Ken. If I only had a dollar for every English rule that isn't really a rule...
Although, regarding adjective order, it's one of those things I think is particularly interesting because the research into it has really only started. There are at least a few variations and exceptions already, but I'm curious to see how this has developed over the centuries and, as far as I know, that research hasn't begun in earnest yet. Maybe it's time to write a grant proposal...
Interesting article, Joel. My take on "rules" like this is that they're not prescriptive (ie, how something should be done) but descriptive (how they generally are done). Dolphins swim, politicians tell lies, and English speakers put size before colour when listing adjectives. To break the rule isn't necessarily to be wrong; it's to break with a norm. I'm with you - "correcting" someone who does that is counterproductive. There's nothing to correct and, like you say, you'd have to be a bit of a shit to do it most of the time anyway. Keep up the great writing!
Thanks for the comment, Ken. If I only had a dollar for every English rule that isn't really a rule...
Although, regarding adjective order, it's one of those things I think is particularly interesting because the research into it has really only started. There are at least a few variations and exceptions already, but I'm curious to see how this has developed over the centuries and, as far as I know, that research hasn't begun in earnest yet. Maybe it's time to write a grant proposal...
Thanks again!