The ManicaPost
Morris Mtisi
WE must all remember the new curriculum does not bring with it new English grammar. If there is one feature of the whole transformation process that will never change, it is the acknowledged rules of English language and grammar.
We still cannot, in speech or writing, use the word ‘irregardless’. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? You remember a friend, lecturer, teacher, spouse who confidently says, “We will push on irregardless of the obstacles”? ‘Irregardless does not exist in the English language. The correct word to use is ‘regardless’. “We will push on regardless of the obstacles.”(Correct)
In not existing the word ‘irregardless’ joins words like ‘durawall’ (referring to a pre-cast wall), sheet-bed (referring to bed-sheet), cover-bed (referring to bed-cover) and monarch (referring to a travelling bag).
Please note that ‘Durawall’ and ‘Monarch’ refer to the names of companies that manufacture concrete and cement slabs or blocks used to put up solid security walls around houses or properties and travelling bags respectively.
People think ‘irregardless’ is correct because we can say or write ‘irresponsible’ (cf responsible), ‘irreversible’ (cf reversible), ‘irregular’ (regular), ‘irreconcilable’ (reconcilable), ‘irreclaimable’ (reclaimable), ‘irrevocable’, (revocable)etc being the opposites of the words in brackets.
It is not every word in English that is prefixed with an ‘irr’ to form an opposite form. Some in fact many use ‘less’ at the end. Examples; fruitless, speechless, clueless, fearless, tasteless. “Less” here simply means ‘without’. Without fruit, without speech, without a clue, without fear, without taste! We cannot prefix these word structures with ‘irr’ again, can we? Like ‘irrespeechless-irrefearless’ etc! Wouldn’t that be absurd? Regardless (correct) joins these words. It means ‘without regard’. We cannot add ‘irr’ and say or write ‘irregardless’. Please make an effort this year to delete this word from your memory.
Another stubborn error refusing to escape your memory ‘card’ is ‘operated,’ referring to a doctor’s procedure on a patient. Doctors do not operate patients.
They operate ON patients, please note. Only machines and gadgets are operated, meaning making them function. Examples are cameras, radios, projectors, generators. Is that what doctors do on patients? Certainly not! The doctor’s practice of opening up parts of the body to remove something as part of treatment is called ‘operating on.’ Dr Njanja operated on him yesterday (correct) Dr Njanja operated him yesterday (wrong).
Have you heard people who say or write: “The driver ran for his life away from the enraged assailants”? Beautiful sentence spoiled by use of ‘ran for his life’. The speaker/writer wants to say, “……ran for dear life”. That is an idiomatic expression which cannot be amended or adjusted. Idioms and other figures of speech are not adjustable. You use them ‘voot-stoots”…..as they are. We run ‘for dear life’….nothing else. You cannot say ‘for his or her life’. ‘Spill the beans’ meaning “reveal the secret” can never be ‘spill the peas or groundnuts’, the same way ‘bread-and-butter’ issues can never be adjusted to ‘bread and jam’ issues. ‘Sour grapes’ can never be ‘sour oranges’, ‘bury the hatchet’ can never be ‘bury the hoe.’
Not even the new curriculum can change or amend these metaphors.
Popular DJs and presenters on popular radio and television stations talk about ‘repeating a song, a programme’ etc again. And listeners, especially pupils, think this is correct, coming as it does from their favourite DJ.
Teachers too say this too often and pupils think it is correct. It is not. Once you repeat, that is enough. There is no need for ‘AGAIN.’ Say or write, “I will repeat the song / the programme etc. That is correct.
Finally, do not speak of someone’s structure. Shamiso has a charming structure, (wrong). Structure is used in reference to buildings, houses, flats etc. The English language uses ‘figure’. Shamiso has a charming figure (correct).
I know and remember we grew up thinking a certain part of a woman (back page) was called ‘her figure’. Many still think so today. ‘Figure’ zvinongoreva chimiro chacho chose…..what we wrongly refer to as ‘structure.’
If you master the few errors I pointed out this week and vow never to repeat them (Hello! Repeat them not ‘repeat them again) you would have done yourself a lot of good, English-wise.
Remember the language you speak and write says a lot about you… after your dress. “Knowledge speaks, wisdom listens,” said Jimi Hendrix.
Teachers! Listen, emulate and learn every day. You will easily become a rainbow in someone’s cloud every day of your teaching career.
WE must all remember the new curriculum does not bring with it new English grammar. If there is one feature of the whole transformation process that will never change, it is the acknowledged rules of English language and grammar.
