Very often, I hear (or read) people proclaiming their status as “grammar Nazis.” They are proud of their command of the English language, and claim disdain when they hear someone speak with bad grammar, and supposedly cringe when they see misspellings and errant punctuation. Ironically, these tend to be the same people who swap loose and lose, and spell “grammar” as: G-R-A-M-M-E-R.
There is a word for judging people for having bad grammar, and it is: D-U-M-B.*
First of all, language is dynamic. English is a living language, which means it is constantly changing as we use it. Bootylicious wasn’t always a word, just as Vanessa wasn’t always a name. Words come into being by combining other words (from the same language or other languages), sometimes out of necessity, and sometimes just for fun. Slang, colloquialisms, and various dialects are all a product of language as a dynamic social instrument. Some dialects have different grammatical structures than Modern Standard English (which is also a dialect), just as some languages have different grammatical structures. In English, “I’m sitting on a black couch” is correct, but in Spanish, it would be more correct to say,“Estoy sentado en un sofá negro.” In English, the color of the couch is mentioned first; in Spanish, the couch is mentioned before its color. Neither language is “better” than the other.
Just as there is no “best” language, there is also no “best” dialect. There are standard dialects in various languages, but a dialect being “standard” is not indicative of any kind of inherent virtue or superiority above other dialects. A dialect being “standard” is an indicator of power. Those in power determine the standard in language.
That being said, I still think it is important for people to familiarize themselves with the standard dialect of their language. Because the standard dialect is generally one of power, having a strong command of it allows us better access to power, ourselves. If we want to petition our government, write a letter to the editor, or even write a blog intended for a wide audience (rather than for a single region), the standard dialect affords us the power to reach people in a way they will understand and deem intelligent*.
For these reasons, I am not a grammar Nazi, even though I am an English teacher and love to edit and proofread.
As I close out this first post, I’d like to invite you, whoever may read this, to e-mail me your English-related questions at belletristicblonde@gmail.com. Don’t be shy. It’s what I love to do.
For further reading on grammar, dialect, and power, read Spreading the Word: Language & 
Dialect in America by John McWhorter. It’s only 78 pages long, but a very thought-provoking read!
*I actually don’t really believe in intelligence, but smart and dumb are relatable words to use. This topic may be a different post for a different day.
belletristicblonde 
I actually a self-proclaimed Grammar Nazi, though I only tend to go into that mode during my editing work. I honestly think it’s rude to call out people in public about their mistakes, but in my line of work, when I’m entrusted with a manuscript or a document, I don’t try to hold back!
Figures I’d make a mistake. =P This should teach me not to comment while tired. Oh well.
Don’t worry about it; I won’t judge you. 😉
I do think it’s important to learn the conventions of writing and master the standard dialect. When I’m at work, I am sure to give corrective feedback to my students so they can improve their writing, and when I do that, I have a tendency to be a perfectionist because I want them to learn to write well. So I see what you are doing as a good thing, because I am often in the same position. I also try to refrain from calling others out, too.
Thank you for commenting!
I love that you addressed this topic! I have an MA in English, and was recently working at an elementary school and while I was in the break room with an office worker and a PE coach, I overheard a conversation that confused me. I didn’t know whether I was amused or incensed. Both of the people in the break room were talking about their upbringings, about how they had parents who were highly educated and that they were never allowed to “speak incorrect grammar.” They agreed that kids today have atrocious grammar and they must do their part to correct them, and that parents today don’t care about whether their children sound intelligent or not. They cited their parents’ coursework or degrees in English as the driving force behind their passion about being “grammar Nazi’s.” However, I see my education in the English field of study as the driving force behind my passion for upholding a respect for our living language and all of its manifestations. In addition, it irritated me that they had a sense of superiority because of their immense knowledge of the English language, and yet they were saying things incorrectly if you really want to nit-pick. Hmm.
I do think teachers should reinforce the standard dialect by teaching in it and helping students become skillful in their writing and speech in it, but I don’t think students should ever be shamed for speaking in a different dialect. Actually, I don’t think students should be shamed at all. School should be a safe space where students are comfortable enough to explore, ask questions, and try out new ideas, not a place where they are shamed into silence.
Thank you for commenting!