There is a lively debate going on in the Italian forum. I thought I'd post this here rather than in CD, since it has to do with the function and scope of WR forums.
It is not my intention to start a futile discussion on descriptivism vs prescritivism. I'm just curious to know whether the issue has come up in the other forums and to find out how non-Italian foreros feel about it.
I'll try to summarize the two conflicting positions (A vs B) as objectively as possible, although I will make it clear that I have sided unreservedly with position B).
A) I puristi We should not confuse foreign learners with long discussions of current Italian usage where it is at odds with grammar "rules". The more extreme say that we shouldn't even mention current usage where it is deemed to be "ungrammatical".
(Let me make it clear that we are not talking about controversial usage like "if he was" vs "if he were" in English. We're talking of the Italian equivalents of "I've got" vs "I have", "it's me" vs "it is I" or not ending sentences with prepositions. Some of the usages puristi foreros object to are recognized as correct by our Language Academy, made up of 60+-year-old highly-respected linguists. Even the word "forero" has come under attack - apparently we should use "forumista")
B) As some of the non-native foreros have emphasized, basic "rules" can be found in any of the grammar textbooks foreros own or can find online.
The beauty of these forums is that we can explore fine points of usage and semantic nuances that cannot be found in any textbooks(even in the most advanced ones - there is actually only one English-language advanced Italian grammar on the market).
Furthermore we have some extremely proficient non-natives at IE, including two mods(Elaine and Jana), who obviously want more than the "basic rules". Some of them live or used to live in Italy.
The more extreme puristi will not hear of "registers of formality". The "correct" form should be used in all contexts, from giving a lecture to casual conversation with close friends.
I believe that, as long as different usages are clearly marked as formal, informal, casual etc, we should offer learners (at least the more advanced ones) responses that are as sophisticated and exhaustive as possible.
If I haven't been objective (I guess I haven't
) in representing the two positions puristi are welcome to explain their point of view more accurately.
It is not my intention to start a futile discussion on descriptivism vs prescritivism. I'm just curious to know whether the issue has come up in the other forums and to find out how non-Italian foreros feel about it.
I'll try to summarize the two conflicting positions (A vs B) as objectively as possible, although I will make it clear that I have sided unreservedly with position B).
A) I puristi We should not confuse foreign learners with long discussions of current Italian usage where it is at odds with grammar "rules". The more extreme say that we shouldn't even mention current usage where it is deemed to be "ungrammatical".
(Let me make it clear that we are not talking about controversial usage like "if he was" vs "if he were" in English. We're talking of the Italian equivalents of "I've got" vs "I have", "it's me" vs "it is I" or not ending sentences with prepositions. Some of the usages puristi foreros object to are recognized as correct by our Language Academy, made up of 60+-year-old highly-respected linguists. Even the word "forero" has come under attack - apparently we should use "forumista")
B) As some of the non-native foreros have emphasized, basic "rules" can be found in any of the grammar textbooks foreros own or can find online.
The beauty of these forums is that we can explore fine points of usage and semantic nuances that cannot be found in any textbooks(even in the most advanced ones - there is actually only one English-language advanced Italian grammar on the market).
Furthermore we have some extremely proficient non-natives at IE, including two mods(Elaine and Jana), who obviously want more than the "basic rules". Some of them live or used to live in Italy.
The more extreme puristi will not hear of "registers of formality". The "correct" form should be used in all contexts, from giving a lecture to casual conversation with close friends.
I believe that, as long as different usages are clearly marked as formal, informal, casual etc, we should offer learners (at least the more advanced ones) responses that are as sophisticated and exhaustive as possible.
If I haven't been objective (I guess I haven't