[Magdalen] "Formal Speech"

[Cantor03 at aol.com]

I read some information recently that excused all the grammatical  
sloppiness
in the USA as being "informal" speech, and what is traditionally  correct
is casually dismissed as "formal speech."
 
So that's what it's all about! 
 
The use of adjectives as adverbs, the routine ending of sentences  with
prepositions, the splitting of infinitives, and the total abandonment  of
"whom", etc., etc., are just all "formal" and the grammatical  sloppiness
is really where the action is and named "informal" speech.
 
I don't buy it for a minute.  This is propagated by English class  dropouts,
who are getting even for the heavy-handed use of the red pencils on 
their essays.
 
If they can't get it right, anything goes.
 
 
 
David Strang.