‘We was’

[StripeyNighty]

Arghhh, is it just me noticing SO many people now saying/ typing ‘we was?!’

I’m on so many FB baby groups and I swear every person on there says ‘we was in the living room’ ‘we was scared’ etc. It absolutely drives me insane, why is is it so prevalent all of a sudden?

Communication matters in certain jobs and goes to credibility. This is why it is not snobbishness to teach children grammar, because it is great leveller. This was what used to happen, and if teachers in school do not correct it they are not doing their job for the children.

If children at the top private schools in the country are being taught grammar correctly, and they are corrected when they get it wrong, why should children elsewhere have anything less?

Adults make their own mistakes. I note, but do not correct.

What's wrong with ain't? I know it's not common but my understanding is that it's perfectly correct?

Been instead of being.

Seen instead of saw.

Ain't is slang.

Nothing wrong with slang.

Been instead of being.
Is instead of his and obviously of instead of have. That one really grinds my gears.

One for the Scots...when someone says 'amurnay' instead of 'I am not' probably spoken more than typed though. If typing they would probably put 'Naw am no!' because they don't know how to spell amurnay 😂

I seen that film ....no you didn't you saw it!

If children at the top private schools in the country are being taught grammar correctly, and they are corrected when they get it wrong, why should children elsewhere have anything less?

How sad that basic English grammar is lousy at some schools. As I said most Europeans learn English (and French) to a higher grammatical level than some English pupils

And of course parents should correct their children's mistakes, whether it's on a card, a text or in a formal letter. Always.

Why?

I talk to my child about what's standard grammar, but so long as she is aware that she's not using standard grammar, what's the issue?

I would so miss the richness of language if we never heard non-standard grammar. I think it gives you lovely insights into history and culture.

I guess I don't regard such grammatical mistakes as 'richness' but as 'lack of education'.

I guess you do. Uneducated people sometimes do that.

It's a mistake to decide that the way the majority/ruling class or culture speaks a language is the only 'correct' way and minority cultures/dialects are 'incorrect', and that the only reason people don't speak and use words like you do is because they haven't been educated, or that they must speak like you do before you respect them. Attitudes like these have caused shameful instances of systemic discrimination (e.g.: IQ tests accepting only one version of English that therefore incorrectly judged people from minority backgrounds to have lower IQ).

“I would so miss the richness of language if we never heard non-standard grammar. I think it gives you lovely insights into history and culture.”

How utterly patronising. Why not begin using the delightful style yourself? Hmmm?

I mean, you can make that cutting remark to the pp, but you have no idea how educated s/he is, and educated people make the assumption you’re saying they don’t all the time.

How dare you speak to someone like that?

🙄🙄🙄

This thread is not bringing out the best in people.

I “guess”? Ugh.

The most annoying one for me is ‘brought’ instead of ‘bought’. E.g. we’ve just brought a new TV! 😬

Quite. The irony.

Uneducated has become her mantra.

The dialect in the Black Country is interesting. Almost like they mix "I'm" and "you're".

For example, they'd said "you'm going down to London today mate".

Also, "wim going to the pub later" for "we're going...."

I think it's both patronising and slightly damning to talk about "richness".

The greatest period of social mobility this country has ever seen was after the war when children of all backgrounds had access to this education and high standards. Yes it was demanding but also, it meant that children of a greater variety of backgrounds climbed in those top jobs for the first time. They did that by meeting these "elite standards".

That was not about IQ but giving an equality of opportunity to children.

I guess you do. Uneducated people sometimes do that.

@SarahAndQuack I find your comment towards me quite hurtful and uncalled for. Can we not just respectfully disagree?