No one speaks English in exactly the same way.
For one thing, we all speak with different regional accents.
For another, even the same individual will use different words and grammatical constructions in different situations.
Language is an intensely personal thing and we don’t like to be told that there’s something wrong with the way we talk.
On the other hand, because language is an essential part of our personality, we are judged by the way we speak.
Listen to the interview with Kyle Kellams on KUAF, January 24, 2018
Word Rage, a collection of essays by online language guru Maeve Maddox, addresses many of the usage “errors” that provoke anger in cyberspace. The word errors is in quotation marks because self-appointed grammar critics often condemn usage that is perfectly acceptable in Standard English.
Word Rage offers practical and kindly solutions to peaceful coexistence on the digital highway.
Word Rage, How To Stop Worrying and Learn to Love Your Language, puts to rest the notion that there’s only one acceptable way to speak English. It recognizes the validity of all dialects that make up the language spoken by an estimated 1.5 billion people in the world. At the same time, it acknowledges the fact that some dialects are more widely understood than others.
While recognizing the validity of all dialects for communication, Word Rage illuminates the reality that knowing how and when to speak and write Standard English in addition to a home dialect can improve a person’s economic and social opportunities.
Word Rage is available at Amazon in both print and Kindle formats.
