printForgive this English patriotism. In dumbed-down America, it would, no doubt, be derided as elitist. By extension, meritocracy and an emphasis on canon and curriculum are considered elitist — and even petty.
After all, the aim is for societal institutions to look properly diverse. And, if this sort of diversity is to be achieved—our institutions must reflect diverse standards as well. There is no getting away from it.
The now-acceptable lack of proficiency with English grammar means that there is more crap (a good, honest adjective in this context) grammar to report, this time from an “editor” at Chronicles magazine, a conservative magazine of culture.
SHE “writes” (as she sins indulgently and promiscuously in using the Imperial “I” 1000 times, in what is a cardinal sin in writing):
“You probably expect me to now explain how awful COVID was, how I LAID around in bed.”
Past tense of “lie” down is LAY. It’s, “…how I lay around…”
Our laid-up “editor,” who happens to write at the 8th-grade level at Chronicles Magazine, would have been correct to write that “the chicken laid an egg.” In so writing, she would be conjugating the verb to “lay,” as in “lay tile” or “lay the table” for dinner, too.
How deep runs the institutional rot—and how disgraceful it is—that people who call themselves “editors”; market themselves as such–are bestowed with the honorific; get paid to titivate the works of their betters–are, themselves, incapable of conjugating English verbs.
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I’ve always had a difficult time with this one. It’s a certainty that, filled with self-doubt, I’ll end up Googling my usage of the word just to make sure I’ve used it correctly. And I discover, usually, that I haven’t.
They’re has to be a reason.
I do exactly as you do; I check myself always, unlike the Fluff “editor” in the blog post.