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<blockquote data-quote="Angela Channing" data-source="post: 330155" data-attributes="member: 33">Although I agree that communication is the primary aim of language and grammatical conventions are secondary, that doesn&#039;t mean grammar is not important. Often grammar exists to make a sentence easier to understand such as the recently discussed &quot;three patients are on a respirator or three patients are on respirators&quot; scenario. It&#039;s by using correct grammar that enables language to be more&nbsp; clearly understood and less open to ambiguity.For example, imagine at Falcon Crest, Meliss wrote this note to Lance:&quot;I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are like Chase admit to being wicked like Angela. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when we’re apart. I can be forever happy. Will you let me be yours?&nbsp; - Melissa.&quot;&nbsp; Using [USER=5079]@Crimson[/USER]&#039;s flow chart, because the sentence makes sense, Lance would proceed to &quot;YES, carry on&quot;. However, this is what Melissa actually meant when she used commas and full stops correctly:&quot;I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are like Chase. Admit to being wicked like Angela.&nbsp; You have ruined me. For other men, I yearn. For you, I have no feelings whatsoever. When we’re apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let me be? Yours, Melissa.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp; Correct grammar leads to correct understanding. This is an extreme example but it shows how correct grammar is not just about being pedantic but about being understood.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Angela Channing, post: 330155, member: 33"] Although I agree that communication is the primary aim of language and grammatical conventions are secondary, that doesn't mean grammar is not important. Often grammar exists to make a sentence easier to understand such as the recently discussed "three patients are on a respirator or three patients are on respirators" scenario. It's by using correct grammar that enables language to be more clearly understood and less open to ambiguity. For example, imagine at Falcon Crest, Meliss wrote this note to Lance: [I]"I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are like Chase admit to being wicked like Angela. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when we’re apart. I can be forever happy. Will you let me be yours? - Melissa." [/I] Using [USER=5079]@Crimson[/USER]'s flow chart, because the sentence makes sense, Lance would proceed to "YES, carry on". However, this is what Melissa actually meant when she used commas and full stops correctly: [I]"I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are like Chase. Admit to being wicked like Angela. You have ruined me. For other men, I yearn. For you, I have no feelings whatsoever. When we’re apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let me be? Yours, Melissa." [/I] Correct grammar leads to correct understanding. This is an extreme example but it shows how correct grammar is not just about being pedantic but about being understood. [/QUOTE]

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