That's Not a Verb.

[maxMillerAA]

A former student of mine pulled this video up for me. Teaching in a school that is becoming more diverse, I purposely address code switching often in my classes. I'm thrilled to have a wonderfully articulated and interesting explanation. I look forward to using this in class.

[ChateauOfADoubt]

@maxMillerAA Thank you so much! That means a lot to me. 

[supersharayah]

oh emily, how I love when you teach me things. <3

[LilMiss19x]

I love how I seen this video from the Nerdfighters website. But it didn't show up in my subscription box. I learned from the video as I do with everyone of your vlogs.



[ChateauOfADoubt]

@LilMiss19x thanks! this video is 4 months old so maybe you weren't subscribed to me when I put it up.

[emmfan09]

I just used this video to help me study for my linguistics final exam. I didn't really understand prescriptivism/descriptivism until now. Thanks, YouTube. <3

[leeflailmarch]

Finally! Someone's speaking up about it!

Better than Marina Orlova (hotforwords), in my opinion. :D

[ChateauOfADoubt]

@leeflailmarch wow! That was such a nice compliment, thank you!:D

[leeflailmarch]

@ChateauOfADoubt You're welcome. It's true. Hey, I noticed just now that RayWJ actually commented on this. Haha!

[TaylorMarieGreen]

It's nice to see a young intelligent talented girl...

Or person in general, I forgot what it is like to listen to someone with more then one brain cell.

I like your style, & wish you nothing but success.

[MacGyverinSpace]

0:47 To fit the pattern, it should be mes, not mines.

These friends are mes.

oh hey.

Or: Ces sont mes amis...

But we Angles went with the Germanics on this one, sorry William.

[MacGyverinSpace]

0:47 To fit the pattern, .It should be me(e)s, not mines.

[CarylCake]

It's true, people online these days have several different sets of English to use in different contexts. It even differs between personal e-mails, PMs (this isn't even a noun, lol), and video comments. I find the more you converse with a person using a different dialect, the more they will lean towards whichever one you are using to make themselves understood more clearly.

Reading stuff like this makes me feel old. :P

[terroriticus]

on the "mines" issue, i think they were going for "meins", the german word for mine

"meins digits"

 Herr Doktor

[ChateauOfADoubt]

@terroriticus YESSSS! You may very well win.

[terroriticus]

i was slightly off on one part though, Herr Doktor actually says "mein digits" which translates into "my digits"

[ChateauOfADoubt]

@terroriticus crap. I now have to return your prize ;)

[scratchingcat]

Just to clear this up. You use 'meins' in German when you let it stand by itself. Like: This is mine! Das ist meins! You use the proper gendered ending when you add a noun. Digits would be Nummer(n). This is a feminine word, therefore it would be 'meine'. If it related to a masculine word, like hat, for example, it would be 'mein'. I hope this helps.

Also I think this was a very well done and informative video.

[ChateauOfADoubt]

@scratchingcat Thank you so much! So, I suppose you both win the mostly non-existent prize. Thank you for clearing it up:D

[TheAnonymousUs3r]

I just also want to add that this video is incredibly good. Like, NPR, WhatYouOughtToKnow, good.

[ChateauOfADoubt]

@TheAnonymousUs3r Thank you so so much! That means a ton :D

[TheAnonymousUs3r]

Wow! This post rocked so hard I was reminded (not that I needed it) just why I subscribed to you in the first place. When it comes to my writing, I tend to be more of a prescriptivist, but only if it helps make my point clearer. However, I don't prescribe to arbitrary rules, such as not ending a sentence with a preposition or beginning a sentence with a conjunction like "But" or "And"... at least not with informal or non-academic writing.

[JimTheGinger]

Awesome video. It made me remember two things:

1: when i dated an english major (she made me nuts)

and 2: I'm definitely a prescriptivist most of the time.

After watching this i realized how much i have let myself go intellectually, and that is a bad thing IMO.

Keep it up!

[ChateauOfADoubt]

@JimTheGinger I certainly will! Thanks for watching!

[chrisirwin34]

A little too... not my thing. The beginning was good. Is our language deteriorating no its just changing, we're adding words. But then after that... I dunno, just reminded me of learning grammar in English class. But by all means you're still awesome. Just, like I said not my thing.

[ChateauOfADoubt]

Well, thanks for watching anyway. If everything was everyone's thing, we'd never be able to hold it all in our heads.

[TheProfessionalsShow]

as an english major, i can relate

[ChateauOfADoubt]

The closest I get to being an english major is that I'm a literacy volunteer. They aren't quite the same, but there are some shared threads.

[cricketsballroom]

how would this all apply to john green's word "winkitty" meaning totally awesome?

because i think this video is definately winkitty

[ChateauOfADoubt]

thanks so much ;)

Winkitty is a neologism!

[valerie2776]

Great, great video.

I bought a book called Literally, the Best Language Book Ever: Annoying Words and Abused Phrases You Should Never Use Again, and I thought it would mostly be phrases or sayings that are misused, like 'I could care less' or whatever, but it was pretty much just this guy's beef with slang phrases and new verb forms. very interesting how nitpicky he is; if the world was full of people like him, our vocabulary's growth would be so stunted, i don't even know

[ChateauOfADoubt]

I'm glad you brought that up, because I saw that book on your Goodreads list and made a mental note to check it out. Now I'm not sure it is worth my time;)

[ckXcore]

i have my volume jacked and i can barely hear you!! very good video despite the ear strain. mines favorite for sure!

[ChateauOfADoubt]

I can hear it fine on my computer, but I've got kick ass speakers. I think I might actually have damaged my camera at some point.

[ChateauOfADoubt]

not that that is a quality excuse. I can fix the audio in my editing software if I realize I need to. I just didn't realize.

[ckXcore]

@ChateauOfADoubt well the speakers i'm using right now are pretty lousy, so it could be me, haha! Justin I think had to crank up your volume all the way in premiere elements to keep you guys at a more even audio level. Not sure :P

[schmumpkin]

I agree. WOW! I love language and words and such, but you make me realize how I do need to learn and use new words and broaden my vocabulary.

Thanks for introducing me to the comncepts (well, words) "perscriptivists" and "descriptivists", and I did indeed favorite this linguistic gem :)

[ChateauOfADoubt]

Thanks for favoriting it! I'm glad you enjoyed it! :D

[TalkinglikeaTeen]

prescriptivists descriptivists and contexts are all really difficult to say....just throwin that out there

[ChateauOfADoubt]

it's true, all of the sts or xts words aren't easy to annunciate! Also, I like your username. It is appropriate for the conversation at hand ;)

[TalkinglikeaTeen]

yeah its quite appropriate haha its from Tegan and Sara's "on directing" but it definitely makes sense.

i find the sps difficult as well. like wasps...and asks. S's are just awkward

[hshea11]

Wow, really great video.

You never fail to introduce me to something new :)

[ChateauOfADoubt]

Thanks!

Uh oh, now I'll be afraid to let you down if I talk about something you're familiar with! ;)

[emmfan09]

I got the prescriptive vs. descriptive question wrong on my linguistics test. Why didn't you make this video four weeks ago?! XD Anyway, Raywilliamjohnson commented on this video, so I am more than jealous. Go linguistics! I still won't buy the fact that mines should be considered anything other than a pronoun in certain dialects, whereas vlogging is in any dialect unless it is vloggin'. Does that make sense?

[ChateauOfADoubt]

I don't think that vlogging / vloggin' has been around long enough to be adapted, really. I think sometimes it helps to think about other languages: i.e. the Spanish of Madrid is different than the Spanish of Sevilla different than the Spanish of Mexico, different than the Spanish of SoCal, and none of them are incorrect, but some would go over less well in different settings. Think about the languages that developed out of Latin.

[emmfan09]

OK, I think I'm getting it a bit more now. :D GO LINGUISTICS!

[HeBreaksLate]

Awesome video. My video response will be forthcoming.

[ChateauOfADoubt]

Look at you, making video responses.

[CleverestWitch2188]

Emily... wow. Just wow.

You certainly taught me something with this... and made me think about words a lot. :] Very impressive research done about just one comment. I love youtube. <3

[ChateauOfADoubt]

Wow! Thanks! I love youtube as well:D

[RayWilliamJohnson]

I'm don't really misuse the word "troll." I'm just trollin'.

=P

[ChateauOfADoubt]

haha:) Thanks for watching!

[loquaciouskook]

I enjoyed this immensely. Terrific vlog. You might be interested in a CBC documentary entitled Talking Canadian. Canadian's are often snobbish (snobby?) about differentiating their spelling(s) and pronunciation(s) from American ones, when in fact, many common ones actually came over with American Loyalists. The film pokes fun at that, a little, but has other fun stuff to offer as well. It used to be available on YouTube, but was removed due to copyright challenge. I'm confilicted about that.

[loquaciouskook]

Aughghghghghghghgh! I can't believe I made one of the mistakes that bugs me the most... apostrophe in a *plural*!!!! Aughghghghgh! I want to remove, retype and repost, but I won't. I need to wear this, a little, (Canadian) language snob that I am.

[loquaciouskook]

And now I've discovered 'confilicted'. Oh-for-two, today. Dear me.

[ChateauOfADoubt]

I maintain this blog "improper apostrophe" and whenever I post on there I'm always super careful about my own errors, because it will defeat the purpose of my blog! But we're all human, and we make mistakes :)

But teachers aren't supposed to make mistakes ever, I've gathered. And Improper Apostrophe seeks to teach, so I guess it is important to keep it spotless! ;)

[shessomickey]

Wow, great video! You obviously put a lot of time and effort into it.

[ChateauOfADoubt]

Thank you :D

[keeporjot]

Uh...wut?

;-) Love it, I totes feel ejumicated now. I love that you're a sort of free spirited intellectual! I's will favourite dis one.

[d4dz21]

The only thing that I can't get over with speech is how certain proper nouns become verbs. For example: "Youtube that" or "Facebook me" and even "Dude, just wiki it!" Other than that, I'm willing to accept dialects and linguistics for what they are.

[ChateauOfADoubt]

Hahaha, I'm to the point where I tell people to "internet me" (I can feel you cringing)

[tetsubo57]

It has always bother me that some people defend the idea that there is an 'official' version of English. English is such a mish-mash of other languages. It is also not the 'official' language of America, we don't have one of those. I love language. My wife gave me a 1972 edition of the OED as my engagement gift. But even I am appalled by 'irregardless'.

[ChateauOfADoubt]

I'm always having to tell my parents that! My dad is of the "you're in America so speak American" breed.

[crimsong19]

Very interesting and awesome, Emily!

Must ... not ... submit ... to ... subliminal ... suggestion ...

[ChateauOfADoubt]

Thanks! Hahaha

[mickeleh]

Emily mines mines for gold. A lot of territory covered with clarity, brevity, and humor or humour.

[ChateauOfADoubt]

Thank you so much! :)

[JoanIsNotTheMaid]

Wow, I've been missing your videos, Emily. Your vlogging has improved leaps & bounds! Not that they were bad before or anything, they've just gotten better.

Also, I find your dialect reasoning very thoughtful & insightful.

I associate class (personal not monetary) with dialect, myself, and they often do correlate... though exceptions do exist by the thousands.

Anne of Green Gables influenced my diction for a while. I find that I'm bad at adapting my speech to different settings. I just talk.

[ChateauOfADoubt]

I noticed that you'd been absent, and I actually checked to see if you'd unsubscribed. Glad to see that it wasn't because you hated me or anything ;)

I don't often consciously adapt my speech, but I notice that when I talk to my dad, I start to mumble more.

[JoanIsNotTheMaid]

Oh that's so sweet! No way would I unsub. You remain an awesome find and those are kind of rare on the 'tubes. People like you and meekakitty make me remember to be bold... now if I could just get the remembering part down... hehe.

Anyway, thanks.

[genericfirstname]

Consider this video added to my favourites list. Also, in Australia a barbeque or barbie is the term for the method of cooking the meat, the cooking device being used and the name for the function people are attending. We never have "cook outs" and whilst the word grill is sometimes used it is never to refer to an outside barbeque. Also, thanks for the shout out!

[ChateauOfADoubt]

I couldn't remember if Australia was a favorite or a favourite, so I just didn't mention my friends down under in that debate ;)

We don't really have cookouts up here, but we wouldn't look at anyone funny if they called their barbeque that.

[genericfirstname]

Awesome, your video should have been put up today but predictably it's not (I mean my video but the one you so wonderfully featured in). I'll contact you when it is, I'm going to have to email them now. Sigh...

[genericfirstname]

Oh Also! I was at work experience on monday and language happened to come into the conversation and I was able to sound excessively clever by saying your point about the word "mines." So, thank you!

[BarryAldridge]

This is interesting Emily.

[ChateauOfADoubt]

Thanks for watching, Barry! The book I mentioned was actually a really entertaining read if this is a topic that interests you at all.

[PHvlogger]

Emily, I think I am in love with you :)

(Also, Team Sarah FTW!)

[ChateauOfADoubt]

:D

Go Sarah Go!

If she comes to NY I might have the chance to meet her!

[genericfirstname]

I would love that!!

[Myfkduplilworld]

This is still going in "MINES" favorites.hehehe

[Myfkduplilworld]

Sorry, I'm afraid that I will get beat up by the "Internet Bullies". LOL

[ChateauOfADoubt]

hahaha, I love this. The trolls will troll you if you don't conform to their reckless grammar.

[hubertcumberdale2008]

You never fail to be awesome. I will watch your video again when I get up and try to write a longer comment, because I love the topic very much.