|
There are a lot of us on this board who have English degrees. I'll count myself because I finished my major components last term. My written English on this forum is perhaps not the best it could be; I tend to adopt a more conversational style when engaging in discourse on an internet forum. However, my commitment to good rhetoric remains whatever my grammatical mistakes may be.
Perhaps that is the best expression of the written language--the well-written, well-cited argument. But even a good argument gets lost when the writer ignores conventions (though I will make an exception here for RB: his mechanics are solid, despite his lack of capitalization).
A visiting writer to my university, William Kittredge, says that the trick to being a good writer is to read like a writer. Personally, I've found reading improves my writing, period. For instance, after reading "Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde this summer, I found myself writing in the same style as Wilde adopts. I have had this happen to me before, so there is no doubt in my mind as to whether or not reading has an impact on a person's writing. The proof is in the pudding, as they say.
Read. Write. These are the two things you must do in order to better your English. Devote yourself to good conventions. Buy a style guide. I have several style and writing guides on my bookshelves. The classic is Strunk and White's "Elements of Style." Currently, for my grammar class, I am reading a book called "Rhetorical Grammar" by Kolln. I find it to be a great cross between a writing guide and a grammar book. But beyond that, just read, period. Read the newspaper daily; read a good news magazine once a week. Read lots of books. Try your hand at some of the greats of Western literature. Read, period.
When you feel like listening, try public radio. Most of it is talk-based, and so it gives you a good sense of how to put what you've learned from reading into practice. Most of the people featured on public radio, both broadcasters and guests, are fairly well-spoken.
Hope that helps.
__________________
If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau
|