Does the word “correct” have any relevance beyond the context of standard forms of English?
Moore notes Labov’s assertion that “standard dialects are invested with correctness and superiority rather than being correct and superior in themselves”.
From: Teaching Multicultured Students. By Alex Moore.
I asked it as a question. It was my choice to do so. If you’d like to spend the next 30 posts talking more about my posting style than the topic, I’m not going to play.
For the sake of discourse analysis and ESL learning, I will say this though:
Many 3 part dialogues, based on mulling over and/or reacting to a statement one has heard, often go like this:
A: Does the word “correct” have any relevance beyond the context of standard forms of English?
B: It may do. Why do you ask?
A: Well, I heard this statement and it got me thinking ‘I’m not sure the word “correct” has any relevance, beyond the context of standard forms of English.’
Yes, fine, but why aren’t you ‘sure the word “correct” has any relevance, beyond the context of standard forms of English’? What makes you feel that way?
Mr P, don’t you know why you made the above statement? If you do know, why are you reticent to share your doubts on whether ‘the word “correct” does have relevance, beyond the context of standard forms of English’?
Is it difficult for you to share your intention in posting such a statement?
I made the statement because I couldn’t think of a non-standard context in which the word “correct” had relevance. But if you doubt the statement, you presumably can think of such a context. That’s why I asked you to provide one.
So are you saying that “correct” cannot, in your use of the word, be applied to non-standard forms? If that’s what you’re saying, why are you saying it?
Anyway, let’s humour you and give you an example.
The correct way to say “Where are you?” in Newfoundland English , for example, would be “Where ya to?”, as far as I understand. If I were to say “Where to ya?” in that context, I’d be using the expression incorrectly, right? Someone would be justified if he said to me “No, that’s incorrect. The correct form is…”, wouldn’t he?
Another example.
“Yous guys are all wrong” is what you would call non/sub-standard, right? But the people who use it in context would feel it’s the correct form to use in their social context, right? It’s correct uasge for that context, isn’t it?
Well I have asked many times you to explain. Please, tell us the meaning of “correct” and of “relevance” that you are using and how these fit together with your statement here.