This article was checked by Grammarly before being posted. This is something that the editor requires so this is my not so silent protest.
I appreciate reading a good book, or an article that makes grammatical sense. I am an editor by nature. I cannot read a book without taking a mental red pen to it. This is because not only do I love reading, I love the linguistics of English.
I tried Grammarly for the first time this week. I have spent an entire college career and graduated with a 4.0. I am not even sure that colleges allow Grammarly, then again, that's not all that much different than spell check anymore.
Grammarly is still slightly different than spell check. It gives you the break down of grammar rules and tells you exactly what your writing should look like. If you are writing a school paper that has to be cold and sterile, this is perfect. If you are a writer, this is death.
If you have ever been frustrated on Facebook by your news feed, you know that algorithms do not work. They are not human. They simply give an idea of what it should be and judge based on that. Grammarly is made to work the same way. It is set up with "grammar rules." The rules are then told to scan and fix.
What an algorithm cannot do is understand syntax. Language is more than a bunch of arbitrary rules placed on us by the scholars. It is about putting together 26 letters to create art. A combination of 26 letters created the Bible. A combination of 26 letters created by Jane Eyre. A combination of 26 letters created this article.
Writing is an art. If you tell a writer they are not an artist, they may inflict bodily harm upon you. Each artist has a different way to use syntax. The same can be said of painters, they use similar or the same materials with very different results.
Here is an example of a Grammarly correction
This is the original.
There are a lot of things to know when becoming a manager. Some of it you can wing, federal law you can't.
This is the Grammarly version.
There are a lot of things to know when becoming a manager. Some of it you can wing, a federal law you can't.
The difference between adding an A takes away the power behind the word. The original tells us that you can't wing any federal law. The Grammarly version says you can't wing a federal law. One little correction changes the whole meaning. Grammarly does not replace an education. A writer who cares for their craft does their research. They know their language, and they love it. An algorithm can make or break your writing. Chose your words carefully, and chose your editing carefully.
The rules to grammar are so numerous that one book that gives a basic overview is 201 pages. Learn grammar, mind your P's & Q's, and don't let anyone take your voice.
