The Orwellian horror of a world without grammar

17 Mar 2011

Grammar nots spelling where is. The grammars has important, which we has teaching when they aren't for new plan sometimes is dooms. Also trouble where picture go for understanding when can't think to write to see. Because to mislead accident selves.

The Orwellian horror of a world without grammar

Curricular revisions in the area of religious instruction in South African schools have been the subject of a previous column, in which I argued that political expediency could compromise Constitutional freedoms, as well as handicap the development of a citizenry which is capable of significant intellectual engagement with policy. A related trend, with the same negative consequences, can also be observed in our universities.

More recently, the teaching of the most basic foundation of language - grammar - is being threatened. And so, another potential blow is landed against clarity of thought and expression.

I speak of the recent leak of the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement for Grades 10 to 12 for English Home Language, wherein it is revealed that grammar will no longer be examined in a separate paper.

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About Jacques Rousseau

Jacques Rousseau is a voluntary exile from professional philosophy, where having to talk metaphysics eventually became unbearably irritating. He now spends his time trying to arrest the rapid decline in common sense exhibited by his species, both through teaching critical thinking and business ethics at the University of Cape Town, and through activities aimed at eliminating the influence of religious ideology in public policy. He is a regular opinionista for The Daily Maverick. Follow him on Twitter at @JacquesR.