 |
 |
As someone who, even with English as their first language, finds writing clearly difficult I sympathise with the last set of comments on the 'English debate'. But I can't help feeling this is a slightly different issue. The purpose of 'good' grammar and style is that a piece is made as accessible as is possible within the given subject matter for the reader of that piece. With that in mind for myself I find it entirely reasonable that referees ask for the style of a piece to be tidied up (though frustrating when they don't suggest how). This should not be for the sake of it, or even for facile reasons of 'correct' grammer but precisely because good writing is accessible writing. Unfortunately this is something most of us are not good at and doubtless adds to the isolation of the British academy both from academics elsewhere and from a non-academic readership - a readership it seems that most rarely (or even care about?) reaching. But that is another subject ... %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%