it’s also yummy

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    arrow-down
    12
    ·
    5 months ago

    Which languages had nobles changing the rules of the language to be logical, and beat the peasantry until they repeated their absurd shibboleths?

    Is that what people aren’t understanding?

    When a language had nobles that knew the rules for the language, those rules were documented and maintained, even tho commoners didn’t use it.

    Later, when education caught on, the commoners were taught correct grammar, spelling, and usage. Not what earlier generations of commoners used.

    It’s not that they enforced grammar at the time, it’s that we know about those languages is primarily from nobles writing shit down in that language.

    No one was writing English for centuries

    • Pipoca@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      14
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      5 months ago

      Ah, yes, that’s why the French still speak perfect Latin.

      Yes, old grammar textbooks have been an incredibly important resource for linguists, particularly for reconstructing ancient pronunciations. They’re useful for teaching historians etc. Old French or whatever.

      But we generally haven’t been terribly successful at beating students into using obsolete grammar rules and to stop using modern grammatical innovations.