I am a teacher. Grammar is my business! I used to change words to fit my sense of order. However, I am aware more of the organic, ever-changing nature of language, especially English. Our syntax, pronunciation and grammar are always in a state of flux and development; new words are being added all the time. In Shakespeare's time, for instance, double negatives were conventional, as it still lis in many other languages. Now, use of a double negative is--dare I say it--a no-no.

As a young person studying the classics and classical music, I was very stuffy and unyielding. Now I appreciate the diversity and richness of dialect and it doesn't bother me anymore. Still, when I teach my students songs that contain usage errors I point them out; I ask them for corrections, then we sing it the way it is written, with as much authenticity as we can muster. We celebrate our living language.

I hope pretty soon it don't bother you no more, either.

En