"Is this correct?" That's quite a common question among students who (understandably) tend to feel the urge to know if a particular phrase is acceptable or not. The thing is... the labels "correct" and "incorrect" are not exactly technical terms.
Most languages are made up of a variety of dialects, which -needless to say- have their own rules. Therefore what is standard in a dialect may be alien (i.e. incorrect) in another. This is true across the board.
Take the case of the personal pronouns. How do you translate I saw him into Spanish? A native speaker from Bogotá may well translate it as "lo vi". However somebody from Bilbao might render it as "le he visto". We have not one, but TWO differences in a very short phrase. The verb tenses are different and so are the pronouns. The pronouns. Should we say "le" or "lo"? Well, it depends. Let's consider another difference. "¿Dónde está Javier?" asks somebody. "Lo tengo aquí" replies a Bilbao speaker. A speaker from Santander (just 70 miles away from Bilbao) will say "le tengo aquí". Again, which one is correct?
The Cantabrian use of "le" does not conform to the usage of standard European Spanish. That is what we call "wrong". That said, a Colombian professor may argue that "le he visto" is wrong. There are actually very good reasons to support that claim. So... it's complicated.
In English we find a similar state of affairs. Something which is "acceptable" in certain circumstances may be a mistake in a different situation and that affects to pronunciation, vocabulary and, of course, grammar.
Read these phrases:
- I am going to do it
- I'm gonna do it
- I'ma do it
The first and the second phrases are pretty normal. Uttering one or the other depends entirely on how fast the speaker is talking. The third one, though, is way too slangy. You may hear it in hip-hop songs and some films but it sounds careless. It clearly does not comply with the rules of the standard dialects (i.e. the prestigious varieties) and should, therefore, be avoided by learners.
Grammar rules also challenge the narrow interpretation of what is "correct", which is why an intermediate student may feel befuddled when facing seemingly contradictory structures. Consider these options:
- She suggests (that) he should go over
- She suggests (that) he go over
- She suggests (that) he goes over
All three are correct. What about these two?
- It is essential that he is on time
- It is essential that he be on time
Again, both are correct. Using one or the other depends on style or personal choice. I know it appears to be a grey area. In a way, it is, because things are not black or white.
Alright. This does NOT mean that anything can be okay. Some productions (e.g. they has doing it) are unequivocally wrong. However, it is not always easy to spot incorrect productions. Grammar books, for instance, don't usually consider literary devices. Something written by a top-tier poet may be deemed incorrect by an old school grammar book. For a learner the wisest approach consists in paying heed to prestigious dictionaries, well-established writers and competent speakers. What is wrong now may well become the norm in just two decades. Take my word for it.
Eons ago, when I started learning English, the sentence "I can't believe what I'm hearing" was considered incorrect. Today it's not uncommon, even amongst prestigious speakers. It goes without saying, any by-the-book, stuffy teacher will tell you that it is "incorrect". The fact remains, it is ubiquitous. You come across it on talk shows, serious films, news, you name it. In short, its use is pervasive enough to be considered "acceptable". So there you go. Something which was non-standard just a while ago is now normal.
With this in mind, I have edited a video which gives you several examples of phrases that look "obviously wrong" but happen to be okay. Most of it is stuff that can be found in the best dictionaries. Yet, many of you would probably wince at them. I'm talking about subjectless phrases, unconjugated verbs... that kind of "wrong". For kicks, I have included two phrases that you should NOT use. One demands that your English be virtually second nature to you (in which case you could theoretically pull if off). The other is plain inappropriate for a foreign speaker, that is to say, incorrect by all conventional standards. I hope you enjoy the clip:
A couple of friendly reminders.
- There will be no classes on 17 November.
- C1.1 students: your essay on on-line shopping is due next Tuesday (24 Nov).
- C1.2 students: the deadline for your essay on gender equality is Tuesday (24 Nov).
- C2 students. I have received five digital packs for those students who bought the simple edition of Keynote Proficiency. You should get them on Wednesday. By the way, I would like you to write a 300-word essay on the subject of creativity. Is it prerogative of artists or can we all develop some form of creativity? How are "creative people" different? Deadline: 30 Nov.
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