........and accents don't mean sloppy


That may depend on your point of view. I remember listening to some plummy voices, on BBC Radio 4, waxing lyrical about rich rural dialects while, at the same time, condemning, out of hand, "sloppy" urban accents.

I suspect that the speakers would have had displayed the same bias if they had been discussing the 'traditional' terms used by those of more senior years versus newer, and thus 'sloppy', words used by modern youth.

The important thing with any communication is:
Is it understandable?
Is there any possible ambiguity?

Of course, elegance in grammar and pronunciation is a goal that should be strived for but, if it meets the two criteria above, then rules are for guidance. A good understanding of the rules is required so that you know which of them may be bent or broken.


DC