Texts on Grammar: Summary

["Stephen D. Murphy" <sdmurphy -at- SHEPARD-PATTERSON -dot- COM>]

So far I've received nearly two-dozen replies and they're still coming.
Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond! the responses were
interesting, but what may be of even more interest to all of you is that
I received a half-dozen requests, quietly, to share what I discover. And
another email from an individual who said I should never admit to not
having taken a grammar course -- that credibility is everything (and I
apparently compromised it by my admission). I suspect that there are
quite a few people who feel that way, and in any case, a lot of us
probably tell ourselves that we shouldn't ask what seem to be very basic
questions. I guess this is a personal thing, and, this is supposed to be
a list of colleagues, no? I have always found that I have more
credibility by honestly acknowledging my limitations, knowing that
everyone has theirs. And it may make my other credentials and
achievements -- some of which are listed in or implied by the
autosignature -- appear more authentic and meaningful.

Here are excerpts that I hope may help those who, like me, want to
pursue the subject:

*       "When I was teaching, I assigned _The Brief Holt Handbook_. Its
sections are, as the title states, brief, yet it is comprehensive enough
to be useful."
*       "My preference is "The Gregg Reference Manual" by Willian A.
Sabin. It includes basic and special grammatical rules with many
examples of usage. It also has an excellent index."
*       "The best way to learn grammar is to teach it.  See if you can
teach an adult education class a night"
*       "I keep Diana Hacker's _A Writer's Reference_ on my desk because
it's a spiral-bound paperback, which makes it slightly cheaper ($28 from
Amazon.com) and easier to work with than some of the others.  Another
good one, in hardback, is the _Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers_
($32) which I've used in teaching several times.... Grammar books,
though, are largely a matter of preference since they all contain about
the same information.  I'd suggest heading to the Reference section of
your nearest Border's, Barnes & Noble, or good local bookstore and
browsing until you find one you're comfortable using.  Make a list of
some common questions you have, then pick up 4 or 5 different books and
try to find the answer.  Buy the one that makes the most sense to you"
*       "Joseph Williams' 'Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace.'"
*       "Miss Thistlebottom's Hobgoblins, by Theodore Bernstein
*       Practical English Handbook, by Watkins, Dillingham & Martin
*       Metcalf's English Grammar (copyight 1894), by Robert and Thomas
Metcalf
*       Harbrace College Handbook, by Hodges and Whitten"
*       "I use the Harbrace College Handbook, 5th edition, copyright
1962.  I understand that it's now in its 13th edition and may have a
slightly different name."
*       "To understand descriptive grammar, I recommend reading The
Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language by Pinker."
*       "I use "The Concise Handbook for Technical Writing" by Brusaw,
Alred, and Oliu. The book is spiral bound with tabs -- which is nice
when you're
*       in a hurry.... [also] ...a fun book to buy is "The Deluxe
Transitive Vampire." The book is amusing and it goes into very detailed
grammar rules."
*       "'Substance and Style', by Mary Stoughton, is a really good
book. It is published by the "Editorial Eye" (an excellent editing
newsletter) people.
*       Check them out at  http://www.eeicom.com/press/"; [Now, I should
know about this one. I teach for EEI on an occasional basis...!]
*       "You might also want to check out the various books by Karen
Elizabeth Gordon.  Her humorous approach to language and grammer allows
you to learn without realizing you are doing so.  You can check them out
at
*
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/Author=Gordon%2C%20Karen%20Elizabeth/0
"
*       "I always recommend Edward D. Johnson's _Handbook of Good
English_. I also like Robert E. Morsberger's _Commonsense Grammar and
style_, but it's out of print."

If anyone who answered up wants to take credit, please feel free. I
thought I would err on the side of discretion and privacy.

Steve Murphy
Senior Technical Writer, Shepard-Patterson & Associates
2001 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 209
Arlington, Virginia
Voice: (703) 412-5072  Fax: (703) 412-5078
sdmurphy -at- shepard-patterson -dot- com
http://www.shepard-patterson.com
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murphus -at- idsonline -dot- com
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