From the mouths of babes

You may know how I love the comics. Is it “truth in humor” or “innocence”? Today’s Family Circus (thank you, Bil and Jeff Keane) had the kids playing a board game. Dolly pipes up, “This game isn’t as much fun when we hafta follow all the rules.”

Right on, sweetheart. You’re learning early. Another anarchist is… growing up (altho the poor child hasn’t aged ins 50 years). When/if she does grow up, she can qualify for a copy of my very helpful book for writers: The Anarchist’s Guide to Grammar. Then she can write her own cartoons — her way!

What to do with “Grammar Purists”

A bona fide anarchist would probably round them up and shoot them. But I’m a GRAMMAR anarchist. To those who rail loudly about the “rules that must be obeyed”, I can ask only one thing: where are they? Naysayers keep telling me about the “rules” they learned in the deep dark past, as if they were blessed with secrets still hidden from the world’s leading linguists. In the U.S., we use a multi-language, a stew of speech habits and words from around the world. So how is it possible to have one-size-fits-all “rules” to guide writers? Arise, Writers of the World! Bring Your Style Manual and follow me to the next rally! Banish the rule-sayers! Hoohah!

Who will challenge The Anarchist?

I’m still looking for that irrefutable “rule” of U.S. grammar that will hold true for all use! Any challengers?

An Anarchhist Need Not Be a Terrorist

My newspaper article today linked “anarchism” with terrorism and violence. Please know that the Grammar Anarchist is a gentle soul who loves words and honors the language of the U.S. My anarchism is directed at those stuffy grammarians who pretend to have “rules” that must be followed. Ah, but there are so many sets of “rules”. My mission is to encourage writers to look at them, then decide for yourself which to follow. The Grammar Anarchist proclaims: Down with “rules”; Hooray for guidelines!