3 grammar rules that you don’t need to follow anymore - Arika Okrent

Key Concepts

• Prescriptivism: The practice of establishing and enforcing rules for language usage, often based on personal preference or historical imitation rather than actual usage.
• Grammaticalization: The process by which language evolves and rules change over time based on collective usage.
• Latinate Influence: The historical trend of imposing Latin grammatical structures onto the English language.
• Singular "They": The use of the pronoun "they" to refer to a single person, which has historical precedent but faced 19th-century resistance.
• Countable vs. Uncountable Nouns: The distinction between "fewer" (countable) and "less" (uncountable), a rule popularized by 18th-century grammarians.

1. The Origins of Arbitrary Grammar Rules

The video explores why society places such high importance on grammar, noting that many "rules" are not based on linguistic necessity but on historical elitism and aesthetic preference. A prime example is the 1954 Winston cigarettes advertisement, which caused public outrage not because of the product, but because the slogan used "like" as a conjunction instead of "as."

2. Case Studies in Linguistic Prescriptivism

The Preposition Rule

• The Rule: Never end a sentence with a preposition (e.g., "with," "on," "for").
• Origin: 18th-century England. During this era, grammarians attempted to standardize English by forcing it to conform to Latin syntax.
• Critique: Latin is a dead language that had not been spoken conversationally for 1,000 years. Imposing its rigid structure on English speech was described as "awkward" and unnecessary.

The "Fewer" vs. "Less" Distinction

• The Rule: Use "fewer" for countable nouns and "less" for uncountable nouns.
• Origin: Robert Baker, an 18th-century grammarian, arbitrarily decided that "less" was "inelegant" when applied to countable items.
• Context: This was part of a broader movement to codify English, driven by a post-Norman Conquest insecurity where English was historically viewed as the language of commoners compared to the French of the nobility. Baker even proposed a state-sanctioned "academy of letters" to police the language, mirroring France’s l'Académie française.

3. The Evolution of Pronouns: The Case of "They"

The video highlights that grammar is not a hard science but a social construct that evolves.

• Historical Context: 19th-century grammarians insisted "they" be exclusively plural, pushing for the "generic he" to cover singular instances. This was identified as a patriarchal linguistic choice.
• Modern Application: Today, "they" is widely accepted as a singular pronoun, particularly for non-binary and transgender individuals.
• Historical Precedent: The word "you" faced similar resistance; it was once exclusively plural before evolving into the standard singular pronoun used today.

4. Key Arguments and Perspectives

• Grammar as a Social Construct: The video argues that grammar is something "we all build together." It is a reflection of the people using it rather than a set of immutable laws.
• The "Stakes" of Grammar: While most grammatical debates are academic or aesthetic, some have real-world consequences, such as the push for inclusive language.
• Arbitrariness vs. Usage: While the origins of many rules are "silly" or "petty," the usage we choose to respect today is significant because it facilitates communication and reflects current social values.

5. Notable Quotes

• "Grammar isn't a hard science. It's something we all build together to reflect the people using it."
• Regarding the 18th-century obsession with Latin rules: "No one had spoken Latin conversationally in 1,000 years, and imposing its rules on speech was awkward, to say the least."

Synthesis and Conclusion

The video concludes that the "rules" of English are often the result of historical insecurity, elitism, and the misguided attempt to force a Germanic language (English) into the mold of a dead language (Latin). Because language is a living, breathing entity, it is constantly evolving. The transition of pronouns like "you" and "they" from plural to singular demonstrates that usage eventually overrides the arbitrary dictates of past grammarians. The main takeaway is that while grammar provides structure, it should be viewed as a flexible tool for communication rather than a rigid set of laws.