disc grammar uk school disturb traditional fallacy geoffrey sampson s discussion teach grammar school though longer copy prof cameron s original post recall essential mr sampson pass over valid point favour prescriptivist back basics defense traditional grammatical education prof cameron perfectly correct ridicule inflexible rote prescriptive approach grammar conventionally inflict student throughout english speak world issue able standard english perhap standard english correctly entirely separate reliance traditional rule frequently unhelpful often grossly inaccurate rule regard finish sentence preposition one glare example total misunderstand both history english unhelpful preoccupation effective communication strike akin suggest teacher french forget teach past participle vivre favour pupil develop consider opinion theory derrida though mr sampson interest rhetorical image here fact false analogy teach student feel function grammar language far cry teach gb theory hpsg understand sentence clause verb tense adverb etc actually function basic level is reasonable educational goal far worthy create bunch nt s never s call grammatical education beyond though teach orthography grammar school level much broader educational value one lesson learn nothing big worthwhile ever achieve life without careful attention endless tedious often arbitrary detail risk gross national stereotype feel compel quote george bernard shaw british believe moral merely uncomfortable notion education work matter must unpleasant produce result puritanical relic personal experience successful tend precisely one delegate slough off avoid waste tedious arbitrary detail please read precede paragraph tongue plant general vicinity cheek spirit greater seriousness though second prof cameron s call educator abandon prescriptive rulebase approach grammar embrace general approach base comprehension fluid meaningful principle believe result student better grasp form function language rather shallow inflexible mastery facile rule marc hamann 