[ExI] Unrelated Question

[Stefano Vaj]

2012/3/20 Dan <dan_ust at yahoo.com>

> On Tuesday, March 20, 2012 7:39 AM Stefano Vaj <stefano.vaj at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > This, btw, is a classical example of the unnerving imprecision of modern
> English.
>
> All "natural" languages, including pre-Modern  English, are imprecise.
> They just have different ways of being imprecise.
>

Of course you are right, and of course it does really make sense
linguistically to speak of "mistakes" that would correspond to converging
intuitions of contemporary native speakers.

Let us say however that periods and languages deferring to undisputed
authorities (say, the Academie Française or Fowler's King's English), and
to their "prescriptive" and rationalising efforts, make life easier to
non-natives when in doubt. :-)

--
Stefano Vaj
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