The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way

In Chapter 9, Bryson examines the complexity of English grammar and why so many illogical rules exist within it. He argues that “English grammar is so complex and confusing for the one very simple reason that its rules and terminology are based on Latin—a language with which it has precious little in common” (149). As early as the 17th century, the confusing nature of English grammar led many authorities on the subject to call for an academy to regulate and improve it. The model for the proposed English academies was the Académie Française, which was founded by Cardinal Richelieu in 1635 (150). While the French academy welcomed change early on, it has more recently become resistant to changes that would in any way alter established French grammar and spelling. Bryson points out that this depressive effect on change is one of the drawbacks of such national academies, so the lack of one is fortunate for the English-speaking world (151).

With no official academy or organization to regulate English grammar, it has relied on self-appointed authorities to determine standards (152). Because of this lack of rigidity, much of what has come to be recognized as good or bad English is a matter of prejudice and conditioning (156).