Date: Wed, 14 Feb 1996 01:39:14 -0700

From: Rudy Troike RTROIKE[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CCIT.ARIZONA.EDU

Subject: Re: More on warp speed



The idea that "traditional grammarians" slavishly followed Latin grammar

is part of a myth that Charles Fries promulgated, or perpetuated from his

mentor Leonard -- a topic begging to be researched. They have been given

a bad rap for years, going back to Bloomfield. The myth belongs in somewhat

the same category as the 23 Eskimo words for "snow". I have an article

about this in the Archibald Hill festschrift, if you want some details.

Lindley Murray, the "father of school grammar", was forced to Latinize his

grammar by school teachers, who were dissatisfied with his attempt to

portray English in a more structuralist fashion, on its own terms. It is

always a good idea to check your sources before attacking them.



--Rudy Troike (rtroike[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ccit.arizona.edu)