Irregardless

As soon as I was able to read around age 4, my family began brow beating grammar basics into my wee brain. Some of them stuck. But anyone who has read what I write now, knows many of those basic rules of grammar are nowhere to be found. My flaunting of the rules is often purposeful, a kind of  "in your face, Grammar Man" rebellion

Everyone should have adequate writing skills. We should all be able to write a note, a memo, or a letter  that is easily understood. Sadly, too many folks lack even those grammar basics. I have always wondered why. It's a mystery to me, like wondering how some people cannot swim or drive a car. 

But then, the grammar challenged  may not have had a family of Grammar Nazis to deal with like I did as a kid. Around age 7 or so, the tolerant kindly corrections suggested by parents began to turn ugly. I was supposed to have it down. From then on, I lived in fear of having my speech and written words constantly under their harsh scrutiny.

My oldest brother ; my 13 years older brother was the worst. He specifically took offense at my use of "irregardless", which at the time I considered a perfectly good word. He was not tactful nor kind. He often smacked the back of my head when I used it because he knew I was often using it just to piss him off. 

In my early teens, making Joe lose his shit over anything made my day. "Irregardless" was one the sure fire weapons I would pull out of my "Piss Off Joe Quiver". The other good one was bringing up the tennis match he lost to my father who kicked his ass at age 58 or so. Joe broke his tennis racket in frustration after the match. I was one happy buckaroo that day.

So what is it about a word/not a word like "irregardless" that rubs so many Grammar Enthusiasts the wrong way? I will only use it now as a way to needle, poke or prod. Once I understood the bad math of the word and many like it, I have attempted to erase them from unconsciously using them. 

It's all about the double negatives Americans love so much. Double Negatives do make folks sound ignorant at times. I prefer to think of the use of Double Negatives as the folksy, come on by sometime and set a spell way of communicatin. I ain't gots no problem with others using "irregardless" in their speech. But don expect me to not grin just a little when I hear them.

Ya'll Keep it steady now, ya hear?

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I hired a young man at my bike shop some years ago. He was definitely a gifted wrench twister. He was a first generation American whose mom was the daughter of Vietnamese refugees who fled Vietnam after the war. He had some tough moments at school, what with him looking so foreign and all. He took the mean remarks well, letting them slide. He eventually worked his way into some kind of acceptance and finished his school days driving a beat up Dodge pick up with an American flag stuck in the bed waving proud and loud. His red neck held its own with any local yokel around, even if he didn't look like them. 

I always hoped he would find his own path. When I retired and sold the bike shop, I lost touch with him. I heard later he had joined the Marines. And that is all I know. But hope springs eternal. Maybe leaving the our little patch here where he grew up will hopefully free up some of the many horizons he has waiting to check out.

Good luck Kenny.

What brought Kenny up is a Blue grass artist I just discovered. Her name is Mona MacAedyn. She too is a first generation offspring of Vietnam Refugees. Her song, "Vietnam" tells the story. Enjoy.