jim_p

Listening to "Fresh Air" on the radio in the car today. Guest was linguist Geoff Nunberg. Talking about the evolution of language. Mentioned a particularly influential English teacher he had.

I also had an influential English teacher in high school he was Mister Newton he was very good he had one inflexible rule. Any writing assignment containing a fragment or a run-on sentence was an automatic failure it could otherwise be the greatest writing since Shakespeare himself it would still get a great big F.

Was always tempted to turn in an essay of nothing but fragments and run-ons. "If you're going to flunk it anyway I might as well make it worth my while I dare you to flunk this I'll make you use up a whole case of red pens just to spite you!"

Should have maybe just handed him a copy of Finnegans Wake. Dared him to red-pencil THAT.

Juvenile, yes. Red Pen of Mr. Newton has no power over me anymore. Can write anything I want.

Still took some effort to write this. Old lessons and all that.