DOCSLIB.ORG

Textual Variants Part2

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Textual Variants Part2 2 Nephi 11 ᔢ 2 Nephi 11:3 and my brother Jacob [also hath 1A|also has BCDEFGHIKLMNOPQRST|has also J] seen him as I have seen him Here the 1888 LDS large-print edition shifted the placement of the word also, from immediately after the subject “my brother Jacob” to after the perfect auxiliary verb that immediately follows. The variation here also involves an 1837 change of hath to has, but that is irrelevant to the word order issue. (For further discussion of hath versus has, see inflectional endings in volume 3.) Elsewhere the text has 11 examples of also between the subject and the perfect auxiliary verb have: 1 Nephi 1:16 and he also hath written many things 1 Nephi 4:11 and he also had taken away our property 1 Nephi 5:2 and she also had complained against my father 1 Nephi 14:5 and thou also hast heard that . 1 Nephi 17:44 yea and ye also have sought to take away his life 1 Nephi 20:19 thy seed also had been as the sand 2 Nephi 6:9 and he also hath shewn unto me that . Jacob 5:55 the natural trees which also had become wild Jacob 7:12 and it also hath been made manifest unto me Alma 20:29 and they also had su›ered hunger Ether 4:5 and he also hath commanded that . None of these other examples of also were shifted in the 1888 LDS edition, which implies that the shift here in 2 Nephi 11:3 was accidental. The 1888 edition was never used as a copy-text for sub- sequent LDS editions; therefore this error was never perpetuated. For another example of such an accidental shift, see Jacob 7:12; there the 1906 LDS large-print edition accidentally placed the also after the perfect auxiliary. Of course, also can come after the auxiliary verb have. There are, for instance, 20 examples where the subject is immediately followed by the perfect auxiliary have and then also (as in 2 Nephi 5:12: “and I Nephi had also brought the records”). For an example where also was accidentally (but only momentarily) moved in front of the perfect auxiliary, see Alma 33:10. In all these cases, the critical text will follow the earliest textual sources in determining the placement of also. Summary: In 2 Nephi 11:3, the word also immediately follows the subject “my brother Jacob” rather than following the perfect auxiliary verb form hath. analysis of textual variants of the book of mormon [ 651 ] 2 Nephi 11 ᔢ 2 Nephi 11:4 behold my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ for [ 1|, ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] for this end hath the law of Moses been given Although this double occurrence of for (as “for for”) seems awkward to modern English readers, it is nonetheless fairly common in the Book of Mormon text, occurring six times elsewhere: 2 Nephi 25:25 for [NULL >jg , 1|, ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] for this end was the law given 2 Nephi 26:10 for [ 1|, ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] for the reward of their pride and their foolishness they shall reap destruction 2 Nephi 31:17 for [ 1|, ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] for this cause have they been shewn unto me Jacob 4:4 for [ 1|, ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] for this intent have we written these things Helaman 14:11 for [ 1|, ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] for this intent I have come up upon the walls of this city Moroni 8:6 for [ 1|, ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] for this intent I have written this epistle In each instance, the first for is a subordinate conjunction and the second for is a preposition (typically in phrases such as “for this intent”, “for this cause”, and “for this end”). One could shift the word order around to show that the use of the double for is indeed intended, as here in 2 Nephi 11:4: “for the law of Moses hath been given for this end”. In each of these examples, the 1830 type- setter placed a comma between the two for’s, in order to help the reader parse the sentence. None of these double for’s have ever been elided to a single for, either by accident or by editing. This same use of “for for” is found in the King James Bible, but unlike the Book of Mormon editions, the printed King James text does not have a comma between the two for’s: Romans 13:6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: 1 Peter 4:6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, (For these examples, the King James accidentals are provided.) Summary: All instances of double for (that is, “for for”) in the Book of Mormon are intentional and have never been edited, despite their unusualness for modern English readers. [ 652 ] analysis of textual variants of the book of mormon 2 Nephi 11 ᔢ 2 Nephi 11:5 yea my soul delighteth in his grace and [ 1ABCGHKPS|in DEFIJLMNOQRT] his justice and power and mercy in the great and eternal plan of deliverance from death There is no substantial evidence that the 1841 printer ever tried to edit the Book of Mormon text, so the introduction of in here in 2 Nephi 11:5 seems to be a typo, undoubtedly influenced by the occurrence of his before both grace and justice, which thus triggered the repetition of the preceding in. The RLDS text derives from the 1840 Cincinnati (Nauvoo) edition, not from the 1841 British edition; thus the original reading without the extra in has been maintained in the RLDS editions. The introduction of the second in suggests the possibility that “the great and eternal plan of deliverance from death” might depend on only God’s justice, power, and mercy, not his grace. By removing the intrusive second in, the possibility of such a misreading is reduced. Summary: Maintain the reading of the original text by removing the 1841 typo that inserted the preposition in before his justice. ᔢ 2 Nephi 11:8 and now I write some of the words of Isaiah that whoso of my people [which >js NULL 1|which A| BCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] shall see these words may lift up their hearts and rejoice for all men The original construction here in 2 Nephi 11:8 reads perfectly well even if it is technically ungram- matical. In his editing for the 1837 edition, Joseph Smith removed the relative pronoun which, but the resulting text is actually more di¤cult to comprehend. Normally in the text, when the relative pronoun whoso(ever) is the subject of a wh-noun clause, the predicate in that noun clause immediately follows, as in 2 Nephi 26:32: “for whoso doeth them shall perish”. There is no di¤culty, of course, in understanding such wh-noun clauses. But here in 2 Nephi 11:8, there is an intervening prepositional phrase (“of my people”) between whoso and the noun-clause predicate (“shall see these words”). If the prepositional phrase had been missing, then “whoso shall see these words” would be the expected phraseology, definitely not “whoso which shall see these words” (or “whoso that shall see these words”). But given the intervening “of my people”, the reader is helped by having the relative pronoun which there. Elsewhere there are only three cases where whoso(ever) is not immediately followed by its predicate: Mosiah 4:28 and I would that ye should remember that whosoever among you [that 1ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQS| RT] borroweth of his neighbor should return the thing that he borroweth analysis of textual variants of the book of mormon [ 653 ] 2 Nephi 11 Helaman 6:24 and whosoever of those [which >js who 1|which A|who BCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST] belonged to their band should reveal unto the world of their wickedness and their abominations should be tried not according to the laws of their country but according to the laws of their wickedness 3 Nephi 18:13 but whoso among you shall do more or less than these are not built upon my rock but are built upon a sandy foundation In each of these cases, whoso(ever) is postmodified by a prepositional phrase. The first of these (Mosiah 4:28) was originally like 2 Nephi 11:8 in that its prepositional phrase was followed by a relative clause (“whosoever among you that borroweth of his neighbor”). The relative pronoun that was deleted in the 1920 LDS edition, but the RLDS text has retained it. Unlike 2 Nephi 11:8, this example in Mosiah 4:28 was not edited by Joseph Smith. In contrast to the cases in 2 Nephi 11:8 and Mosiah 4:28, the last example (3 Nephi 18:13) is one that has always conformed to the gram- matically preferred style: there is no relative pronoun such as that after “among you”, although it would read more easily if there were: “whoso among you that shall do more or less than these are not built upon my rock”. Finally, the example from Helaman 6:24 is more complicated than any of the others and appears to have one clause with the relative pronoun which and one without any relative pronoun. Even this example would read more easily if there were two relative pronouns: “whosoever of those which belonged to their band which should reveal unto the world of their wickedness and their abominations should be tried ...according to the laws of their wickedness”. Obviously, the original text allows both possibilities for this kind of complex whoso(ever) clause (either with or without the relative pronoun after the postmodifying prepositional phrase).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Across Arabia with Lehi and Sariah: “Truth Shall Spring out of the Earth”
    Journal of Book of Mormon Studies Volume 15 Number 2 Article 4 7-31-2006 Across Arabia with Lehi and Sariah: “Truth Shall Spring out of the Earth” Warren P. Aston Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Aston, Warren P. (2006) "Across Arabia with Lehi and Sariah: “Truth Shall Spring out of the Earth”," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Vol. 15 : No. 2 , Article 4. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms/vol15/iss2/4 This Feature Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Book of Mormon Studies by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Title Across Arabia with Lehi and Sariah: “Truth Shall Spring out of the Earth” Author(s) Warren P. Aston Reference Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 15/2 (2006): 8–25, 110–13. ISSN 1065-9366 (print), 2168-3158 (online) Abstract Aston draws on his own research in Yemen and Oman as well as on the work of other scholars and research- ers to explore two locations in the Book of Mormon account of Lehi’s journey through Arabia: Nahom and Bountiful. Preliminarily, Aston highlights Nephi’s own directional indications for each leg of the jour- ney, considers the relevance of existing trade routes, and suggests relative durations of stops along the way. He reviews the research on the tribal area associ- ated with Nahom, including the discovery of an altar dating to roughly 600 bc that bears the tribal name NHM—possibly the first archaeological evidence of the Book of Mormon’s authenticity.
    [Show full text]
  • Lehi's Dream As a Template for Understanding Each Act of Nephi's
    10 Lehi’s Dream as a Template for Understanding Each Act of Nephi’s Vision Amy Easton-Flake lder Jeffrey R . Holland, in his work Christ and the New Covenant, sug- Egests an important way to study the scriptures when he writes, “The Spirit made explicit that the Tree of Life and its precious fruit are symbols of Christ’s redemption ”. 1 Because neither the Spirit nor Nephi ever vocalizes this connection between the tree and Christ (Nephi gives two direct interpre- tations of the tree and its fruit: to the angel he identifies it as “the love of God” [1 Nephi 11:22], and to his brethren he identifies it as “a representation of the tree of life” [1 Nephi 15:22]), Elder Holland teaches us through his read- ing how to uncover doctrine and messages within the scriptures that are not explicitly stated . He explains how the Spirit first links the tree to Christ when he tells Nephi he will show him the tree and then the Son of God descending out of heaven . After this occurs and Nephi asks to know the interpretation of the tree, the Spirit immediately shows him Christ’s nativity—the virgin Mary with an infant in her arms . Then the angel, who replaces the Spirit of the Lord and becomes Nephi’s guide for the duration of the vision, con- cludes this image by declaring, “Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son Amy Easton-Flake has a PhD in American literature from Brandeis University and specializes in nineteenth-century women writers and narrative theory.
    [Show full text]
  • Intermediate Skills Practice Worksheet
    4A SKILLS PRACTICE Lesson 2 Use of Language NAME: INTERMEDIATE Interpreting Word Meaning CLASS: Parts of speech refers to the functions of words in a sentence. All words in the English language are parts of speech. There are eight recognized parts of speech: nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections. This lesson covers adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections. Here’s what these parts of speech do. An adjective is a word that describes a noun or a pronoun. An adjective can • come before a noun or pronoun: an enormous elephant, a hybrid car; Silly me - I forgot my keys! • come after a noun or pronoun: our trip was long and tiring, this bread is warm and fresh, that kitten is adorable • indicate quantity: some researchers, twelve months, one-quarter cup sugar • impose limits: every city, each time, no smoking • show possession: his homework, her guitar, your goals, our parents An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Adverbs often (but not always) end in -ly. • He drives slowly. (the adverb slowly describes the verb drives) • I have an exceptionally obedient dog. (the adverb exceptionally describes the adjective obedient) • She waited very patiently for her turn. (the adverb very describes the adverb patiently) • Adverbs tell » how something happens: He carefully cleaned the glass. » when something happens: They will arrive tomorrow. » where something happens: We will meet you there. A preposition is a word that shows a relationship between words or parts of a sentence. Some of the most common prepositions are: about before by from of since above behind down in off through across below during inside on to after between except like out up at beyond for near over with www.readingplus.com Copyright © 2019 Taylor Associates Communications, Inc.
    [Show full text]
  • Comprehension Skill Teaching Resources 4A Use of Language – Interpreting Word Meaning INTERMEDIATE
    BOOK-OPEN Comprehension Skill Teaching Resources 4A Use of Language – Interpreting Word Meaning INTERMEDIATE For students To support instruction, this set of resources will help your reading at a students develop the essential comprehension skill Interpreting 6th grade level or Word Meaning. A word can have more than one meaning, higher based on how it is used in a phrase or a sentence. When readers see an unknown word, they look for clues and hints in the texts to figure out what the word means. ► Table of Contents Skill Practice Worksheet (Lesson 1) ......................................................... 2 Skill Practice Worksheet (Lesson 2) ........................................................ 6 Skill Practice Worksheet (Lesson 3) ........................................................11 Skill Practice Worksheet (Lesson 4) .......................................................16 Skill-Based Writing Prompts ......................................................................21 Graphic Organizer ..........................................................................................23 www.readingplus.com Copyright © 2020 Reading Plus LLC. All Rights Reserved. 4A SKILLS PRACTICE Lesson 1 Use of Language NAME: INTERMEDIATE Interpreting Word Meaning CLASS: Parts of speech refers to the functions of words in a sentence. All words in the English language are parts of speech. There are eight recognized parts of speech: nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections. This lesson covers nouns, pronouns, and verbs. Here’s what these parts of speech do. A noun is a word for a person, place, thing, or idea. • A noun can be » used with an article (a, an, the): a ladybug, an icicle, the door » used without an article: compassion, groceries, friendship, mountains » a gerund (a verb form ending in -ing that acts as a noun): Swimming is my favorite exercise; Planning everyone’s schedules is exhausting. • A common noun indicates people, places, things, and ideas that are general.
    [Show full text]
  • Spring Cleaning Part II Tenielle Fordyce-Ruff Concordia University School of Law, [email protected]
    Concordia University - Portland CU Commons Faculty Scholarship School of Law 6-2015 Spring Cleaning Part II Tenielle Fordyce-Ruff Concordia University School of Law, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://commons.cu-portland.edu/lawfaculty Part of the Legal Writing and Research Commons CU Commons Citation Tenielle Fordyce-Ruff, Spring Cleaning Part II, Advocate, June 2015, at 56. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Law at CU Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Scholarship by an authorized administrator of CU Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Spring Cleaning Part II Tenielle Fordyce-Ruff his spring I’ve been busy cleaning out my closets and organizing my garage. I’ve also turned my atten- T tion to catching up on my reading — perusing writing blogs I haven’t visited in ages and diving into wonderful articles on legal writ- ing. Aside from learning, and reading some truly wonderful writing, one of the joys of all this reading is that I’m reminded of “rules” that great writ- ers have thrown away. So once again, in the spirit of spring-cleaning, let’s look at some writing “rules” you can jettison to the trash heap. Quick! Writer better She has written more than 40 writing We are all good articles. Last summer, the legal writing How may times have you paused professor listserve was atwitter dis- She can walk over 20 miles in a day, when someone asks how you are to cussing Weird Al’s new song and even if she runs poorly! figure out if you should respond with video “Word Crimes.” The video Most grammar guides long ago “I am good” or “I am well”? The shows the singer adding an “ly” to got over this distinction.
    [Show full text]
  • Book of Mormon
    Book of Mormon [This entry introduces the Book of Mormon, with the Overview describing its basic nature, contents, and purposes; a brief article follows on the Title Page from the Book of Mormon; and the remaining articles are devoted to a brief explanation of each book in the Book of Mormon. Overview Title Page from the Book of Mormon First Book of Nephi Second Book of Nephi Book of Jacob Book of Enos Book of Jarom Book of Omni The Words of Mormon Book of Mosiah Book of Alma Book of Helaman Third Nephi Fourth Nephi Book of Mormon Book of Ether Book of Moroni The teachings of the Book of Mormon are discussed in doctrinal articles throughout the Encyclopedia; see Gospel of Jesus Christ. See also Religious Teachings and Practices in the Book of Mormon; Jesus Christ in the Scriptures: Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon; Prophecy in the Book of Mormon. Concerning its essential relationship with the Bible and other scripture, see Bible; Biblical Prophecies about the Book of Mormon; Book of Mormon in a Biblical Culture; Isaiah; Scripture: Interpretation within Scripture. On the writing and composition of the Book of Mormon, see Authorship of the Book of Mormon; Language; Literature, Book of Mormon as; Plates and Records in the Book of Mormon. For information about its origin and publication, see Editions; Manuscripts of the Book of Mormon; Translation of the Book of Mormon by Joseph Smith; Translations of the Book of Mormon; Witnesses of the Book of Mormon; Manuscript, Lost 116 Pages; Moroni, Visitations of. See, generally, Studies of the Book of Mormon.
    [Show full text]
  • LESSON 10 “He Inviteth All to Come Unto Him” 2 Nephi 26-30 OVERVIEW: Nephi Prophesies of the Savior's Ministry Among
    LESSON 10 “He Inviteth All To Come Unto Him” 2 Nephi 26-30 OVERVIEW: Nephi prophesies of the Savior’s ministry among the Nephites. Nephi testifies of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Nephi prophesies that Satan will spread false doctrines in the last days. Nephi teaches about the importance of the Book of Mormon. These chapters are Nephi’s commentary on the readings from Isaiah quoted in the previous lesson. He talks first to the Jews, then Israel, then Gentiles. SCRIPTURES: THE SECOND BOOK OF NEPHI CHAPTER 26 Christ shall minister to the Nephites—Nephi foresees the destruction of his people—They shall speak from the dust—The gentiles shall build up false churches and secret combinations—The Lord forbids men to practice priestcrafts. [Between 559 and 545 B.C.] 1 AND after Christ shall have arisen from the dead he shall bshow himself unto you, my children, and my beloved brethren; and the words which he shall speak unto you shall be the claw which ye shall do. 2 For behold, I say unto you that I have beheld that many generations shall pass away, and there shall be great wars and contentions among my people. 3 And after the Messiah shall come there shall be asigns given unto my people of his bbirth, and also of his cdeath and resurrection; and great and terrible shall that day be unto the wicked, for they shall perish; and they perish because they cast out the dprophets, and the saints, and stone them, and slay them; wherefore the cry of the eblood of the saints shall ascend up to God from the ground against them.
    [Show full text]
  • The Gospel According to Nephi: an Essay on 2 Nephi 31
    Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel Volume 16 Number 2 Article 5 6-2015 The Gospel According to Nephi: An Essay on 2 Nephi 31 Noel B. Reynolds [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/re BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Reynolds, Noel B. "The Gospel According to Nephi: An Essay on 2 Nephi 31." Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel 16, no. 2 (2015): 50-75. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/re/vol16/ iss2/5 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. , © Paul Mann , © Paul Nephi With the Plates With Nephi Paul Mann, Paul Nephi teaches that the essence of repentance is to humble ourselves before the Father— giving up our own agendas and ways of doing things and turning back to him. The Gospel According to Nephi: An Essay on 2 Nephi 31 noel b. reynolds Noel B. Reynolds ([email protected]) is a professor emeritus of political science and frequent Book of Mormon teacher at BYU. A former stake, mission, and temple president, he continues here a series of studies on the various elements of the gospel of Jesus Christ as taught by the Book of Mormon prophets. n the Doctrine and Covenants, the Latter-day Saints are directed at least Ifive times to look to the Book of Mormon for “the fulness of the (everlast- ing) gospel” (D&C 20:9, 27:5, 42:12, and 135:3) or “all those parts of my gospel” (D&C10:46).1 Most easily recognizable as an authoritative statement of this gospel is 3 Nephi 27:13–21, where Christ comes one final time to his Nephite disciples and clearly states the basic principles of his gospel to them.
    [Show full text]
  • Chattanooga Cheapshot, Or the Gall of Bitterness
    Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 1989–2011 Volume 5 Number 1 Article 27 1993 Chattanooga Cheapshot, or the Gall of Bitterness Daniel C. Peterson Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/msr BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Peterson, Daniel C. (1993) "Chattanooga Cheapshot, or the Gall of Bitterness," Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 1989–2011: Vol. 5 : No. 1 , Article 27. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/msr/vol5/iss1/27 This Review is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 1989–2011 by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Title Chattanooga Cheapshot, or The Gall of Bitterness Author(s) Daniel C. Peterson Reference Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 5/1 (1993): 1–86. ISSN 1050-7930 (print), 2168-3719 (online) Abstract Review of Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the Book of Mormon (1992), by John Ankerberg and John Weldon. John Ankerberg and John Weldon, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Mormonism. Eugene, $13.95. Chattanooga Cheapshot, or The Gall of Bitterness Reviewed by Daniel C. Peterson We are the hollow men We are the stuffed men Leaning together Headpiece filled with straw. Alas! -T.S. Eliot I bought this book at a "Christian" outlet in Provo, along with Robert Morey's dreadful little screed on The Islamic In vasion. 1 Both volumes had been shelved in the
    [Show full text]
  • February 2006 NEWSLETTERNEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2006 from the TESTIMONIES and PASTOR's DESK SERMON NOTES H
    February 2006 NEWSLETTERNEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2006 FROM THE TESTIMONIES AND PASTOR'S DESK SERMON NOTES H. Alan Smith • 607 E. Madison, Mount Ayr, IA 50854 • 641-464-2949 Why Would You Want to Our Countenances "Have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye Do Anything Else? received his image in your countenances? Have ye The Communion Service of January 1, 2006 Was graced by experienced his might change in your hearts? Do ye special music played by Nathan and Julie Smith, Nathan on the exercise faith in the redemption of him who created piano and Julie with her violin, and by Beth Knotts singing “Let Us you?" Break Bread Together on Our Knees!” Elder H. Alan Smith, in These questions from Alma in his epistle to the charge of the service, introduced Elder Peter Cornish as not just his people in their cities and villages throughout the land as son-in-law, the husband of Erin and father of Eli but as an Elder recorded in Alma 3:27-30 have been shared many times standing in the stead of Jesus to bring ministry to us this morning. over the years since. Peter began by thanking those who had provided the beautiful I've always thought of them as being personal music saying, “I feel there are many ways in which to experience the questions for reflection in one own's life. Is the Spirit love of God, and most certainly music is one of those. Another is such a part of our life that others can see Jesus just by sharing in His Word, and I hope and pray that that which the Lord looking at our faces? To do that, certainly our every will provide for us in this will be as good as the music was.” action would have to indicate that there is something I would like to read a scripture for you.
    [Show full text]
  • Teaching Unit 18: Good Or Bad Grammar?
    Teaching unit 18: Good or bad grammar? Background This unit explores how and why elements of grammar come to be judged as good or bad. The discussion explores factors such as awareness, exposure to other dialects, and personal beliefs and ideologies about language. The unit provides a hands-on usage judgement exercise in which students can be asked to identify grammatical problems in a job application letter. The unit provides the results of a survey using this sample text, and illustrates differential awareness of grammatical points, reflecting changing awareness and therefore changing norms over time with respect to how grammar is judged. The exercise can be used to remind students that language norms are particular to a specific point in time. In this perpetual cycle of prescriptivism, one person’s ‘bad grammar’ can be another (often younger) person’s new norm. All data and examples are from Ebner (2017). Activities and discussion points are suggested at the end. Data and a link to a relevant Linguistics Research Digest article are available at: http://www.teachrealenglish.org/TU18 Discussion points Attitudes to grammar Whether you are aware of it or not, you are most likely judging people when they speak. You will listen for cues which may help you identify a speaker’s regional, social or educational background. These linguistic cues can be subtle or salient. If you are from Southern England, you may find the pronunciation of (r) after a vowel (called “postvocalic r”) by Scottish speakers striking as most Southern English varieties lack this particular feature.1 Similarly, an older speaker may perceive the use of literally as an intensifier, as in I literally dropped dead, by younger speakers as wrong because the usage does not conform to their own.
    [Show full text]
  • Step by Step Through the Book of Mormon
    THE BOOK OF MORMON [Added in 1852/deleted in 1981] THE FIRST BOOK OF NEPHI [“First” added in P ] HIS REIGN AND MINISTRY [Preface] [to the First Book of Nephi] [Note: As befitting his calling as a prophet, I would normally color Lehi’s name blue, but in order to distinguish him from his son Nephi, who is the record keeper (and a prophet), I have colored Lehi’s name orange.] An account of Lehi [Genealogy] G and [of] his wife Sariah 01 and [of] his four sons being called beginning at the eldest Laman [and] Lemuel [and] Sam and Nephi The Lord warns Lehi to depart *out of the land of Jerusalem [duality] 02 because he [Lehi] prophesieth unto the[covenant]people [the Jews] concerning their iniquity and [but] they [the covenant people--the Jews] seek to destroy his life 03 04 [Note: The last two lines above are an example of a type of Hebraism called “Irony.” Ironically, when the covenant people are warned that because of their “iniquity” they might be destroyed (which is the covenant penalty for “iniquity”), rather than repent they seek to “destroy” the messenger (Lehi).] He [Lehi] taketh three days' journey into the wilderness with his family Nephi taketh his brethren and [Nephi] returneth [ days’ journey] to the land of Jerusalem [P = returns] after the record of the Jews The account of their sufferings 05 They take the daughters of Ishmael aa to wife They take their families and [they] depart into the wilderness Their sufferings and [their]afflictions in the wilderness ______ [Heb.
    [Show full text]