The Main Rule of Written Language

Written language is a graphic representation of verbal expression; picture symbols for sound symbols that are thought symbols.

Writing was born some 5000 years ago after speaking had been in use for hundreds of thousands of years. Speaking is a biological ability. Writing is a technical one.

Writing attempts to display spoken language. It wasn’t until the past few hundred years that rules for writing became formalized.

Dictionaries and grammar books were not available during Shakespeare’s time. His spelling was inconsistant and he created new words regularly. Many teachers reprimand students today for doing what Shakespeare did, thereby crippling a creative writing development.

The main rule of writing does not differ from the main rule of speaking: Get the message across!

Most of the rules of writing support the main rule. But not all of them.
The sentence before this one is formally incorrect. Did that bother you? Did it divert from the message? Is the redundancy of the sentence necessary?
Did you notice that ”inconsistent” above was spelled incorrectly (on purpose)? Does it matter?

Language, both verbal and written, functions primarily as a means of communication. The rules help us communicate, but formalities can hinder us.

Let us communicate with one another. Let us pass information back and forth. Let us be tolerant of the form and sensitive to the message. Let’s listen with love as though we were all each other’s children.

“Everyone understands the language of the heart.”
Dartwill Aquila

(Tomorrow: Mate English, the Majority English)