I make a living with grammar. Nonetheless, it’s important to keep it in perspective. Remember, there are actually four grammars, listed here from most to least casual:
- How people speak
- How grammarians codify speech
- How people write
- How grammarians codify writing
To put it another way, allow me to share a haiku and a lune:
Grammar is a man
Sitting alone, critiquing,
While his neighbors dance
Grammar is a map
Pointing out
Where things ought to be