Re: Too and commas

[Barry Ousley <bousley@brain.uccs.edu>]

I agree with your comments, Kathleen.  I prefer "wordsmith" to
"grammarian" even though our web site has an anonymous character known as
the "Online Grammarian."  It's rewarding to watch students craft their
writing by "tinkering" with language.  I must confess, though, that I like
it when students refer to me as "Grammar God" after I help them understand
some mystery of the ages such as when to use "who" and "whom."  However,
my deification usually doesn't last long because some other student will
ask me to explain why "pneumonia" begins with a "p" and I am thrust back
to being a mortal wordsmith.

Barry Ousley
Writing Center Tutor Coordinator
CU - The Springs
(719) 262-4336
bousley@mail.uccs.edu

On Wed, 11 Mar 1998, KATHLEEN WELSCH wrote:

> A title preferable to "grammarian" is "wordsmith."  When I refer to myself
> as one, folks generally say something like: It sounds like you tinker with
> words. My response is that I do. But again, I'd prefer to say that as a
> wordsmith, I craft language and meaning.
> 
> Kathleen Welsch
> Clarion Univ. of PA
> KWELSCH@MAIL.CLARION.EDU
> 
> 
> 
> At 07:24 AM 3/11/98 -0600, you wrote:
> >I hate the label "grammarian" if what people mean by it is person who
> >patrols punctuation.  
> >Sara Kimball
> >On Tue, 10 Mar 1998, Peggy Ellington wrote:
> >
> >> Jeanne,
> >> 	I agree and it's something I struggle with constantly.  I hate the label
> >> "grammarian," and I hate that look people get in their eyes after they
> ask me
> >> for help with a particular piece of writing.  What I want to do is teach
> >> students how to work with words and meaning, and I wish that I didn't
> ever have
> >> to address the issues of grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.  Most often I
> >> find that I'm undoing "wrong" interpretations of the rules and replacing
> them
> >> with textbook definitions, leaving both the writer (the student) and the
> reader
> >> (me) wanting.
> >> 
> >> 				Peg E
> >> 
> >> 
> >> 
> >
> >
>