ENG3221: Grammars of English: Myths About Language

List of myths from Language Myths edited by Laurie Bauer and Peter Trudgill, Call Number: P106.L31755 1998

1. The meanings of words should not be allowed to vary or change
2. Some languages are not good enough
3. The media are ruining English
4. French is a logical language
5. English spelling is Kattastroffik
6. Women talk too much
7. Some languages are harder than others
8. Children can't speak or write properly any more
9. In the Appalachians they speak like Shakespeare
10. Some languages have no grammar
11. Italian is beautiful, German is ugly
12. Bad grammar is slovenly
13. Black children are verbally deprived
14. Double negatives are illogical
15. TV makes people sound the same
16. You shouldn't say "It is me" because "Me" is accusative
17. They speak really bad English down south and in New York City
18. Some languages are spoken more quickly than others
19. Aborigines speak a primitive language
20. Everyone has an accept except me
21. America is ruining the English language