The changing language

The English language is constantly changing. New words are added from other languages. Inventions and improvements in technology spawn new terminology. New meanings or usages also arise for existing words. Some words and idioms fall into disuse; others become more widely acceptable. That's why Shakespeare's English is not quite like modern English.

It's important for a writer to remember that grammar rules also change over time. Grammar is not a list of immutable rules that must be adhered to but rather a guideline that reflects current usage of the language. Knowing the rules of proper usage is important. Although a writer may sometimes choose to use an incorrect form, the writer needs to have a justifiable reason for doing so.

Changes in the usage of existing words may not be as rapid or as common now as they were before literacy became widespread, but such change nevertheless continues. When a writer crafts a story or novel that is set in a previous decade or century, the language - especially the dialogue - should reflect the usage of that time period.

Thirty years ago, grammar rules required that the future tense of the personal pronouns I and we use the auxiliary verb shall and all other nouns and pronouns use the helping verb will.

Formerly correct: I shall finish that tomorrow.

Now, however, will is used in all cases to show the future tense. The language has changed.

One change currently taking place in the language is the use of the preposition down when referring to travel to the shore instead of using the prepositions to or at.

We're going down the shore for the weekend.

Twenty years ago, no educated person would have talked of 'going down the shore.' I still cringe when I hear this usage of down, but it has become so widely used in conversation and in the media (at least on the East Coast) that it is becoming a new standard usage.

In Brief: Language usage has changed over time. Make sure the language used in your story reflects its time period.

All about apostrophes

Apostrophes have three functions in a sentence:

• to form possessives of nouns
  

[see blog entry "Possessive nouns, or who owns what," July 22, 2009]

• to show where one or more letters or numerals have been left out

The most common use of the apostrophe to show omitted letters is in the contraction, when two words are combined and the second word loses one or more letters. Contractions are common in everyday speech and have become common in writing as well. Contractions are used frequently in less formal writing and less formal or not at all in formal writing.

can't [joining the words can and not, leaving out the letters n and o]
I've [joining the words I and have, leaving out the letters h and v]
didn't [joining the words did and not, leaving out the letter o]

The apostrophe is also used to show the omission of one or more letters at the beginning of a word or at the beginning of a combination of two words.

'twas [the letter i left out of the combination of the words it and was]
'cause [the letters b and e left out of the beginning of the word because]

The apostrophe is also used to show the omission of numerals, most often when referring to years.

the class of '09 [the numerals 2 and 0 are left out of the year 2009]

• to form the plural of a numeral, sign, letter of the alphabet, or word referred to as a word.

How many 0's are there in a million?
Indicate the most important points by marking them with *'s.
There are only two l's in the word follow.
You have too many too's in this paragraph.

In Brief: Use apostrophes to form noun possessives, to indicate where one or more letters or numerals have been left out, and to form plurals of numerals, signs, letters, and words referred to as words.

Perplexing pair - passed and past

Although people often go to the internet for directions to unfamiliar locations, occasionally we still receive written directions from other people or are asked to write them ourselves. Several times in the last few weeks I've read driving directions that contained errors in usage of that perplexing pair - passed and past.

The confusion is easy to understand. While both words have numerous meanings and can be used as more than one part of speech, they have similar meanings when used in directions. The difference is reflected in the part of speech. Passed is used as the verb in directions, while past is used as a preposition, usually after a verb.

• Passed is used to express the action in a sentence.

Lucinda passed the doughnut shop and gas station before turning right onto Main Street.

[Passing is the action in the sentence. Doughnut shop and gas station are the objects of the verb.]

• Past is a preposition indicating a spatial relationship - one thing beyond another in space/location.

Lucinda drove past the doughnut shop and gas station before turning right onto Main Street.

[Driving is the action in the sentence. Past is used to indicate a spatial relationship - where Lucinda is driving. In this sentence, doughnut shop and gas station are objects of the preposition, not the verb.]

Note that the prepositional phrase follows the verb. When deciding whether to use passed or past, the writer must determine whether the word needed will express the action in the sentence or the location of the action.

In Brief: Use the verb passed to express the action in a sentence; use the preposition past to indicate the location or direction of the action.