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In plain English

Do grammar rules really matter in the diverse and evolving landscape of languages or are grammar purists wrong in judging those with a limited command of the English language?

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5 min read Last Updated : Jun 23 2023 | 10:50 PM IST

Language purists know no bounds: From US presidents and Indian prime ministers to more recently the Pakistan Army chief, prominent world figures have been the target of such zealots for the slightest of linguistic misdemeanours in their view.

While a month ago, Pakistani netizens mocked their Army Chief General Asim Munir for his “terrible” grasp of the English language after a clip from his China visit went viral, way back in 2009, Barack Obama had to take the oath of office twice as US president over split infinitives. US Chief Justice John Roberts, known as a stickler for grammar, made

Disclaimer: These are personal views of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect the opinion of www.business-standard.com or the Business Standard newspaper

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