David Macrorie uses an interesting term in his book TELLING WRITING:
ENGFISH. You can find the corresponding chapter from his book at http://www.kristisiegel.com/engfish2.htm
This is a special kind of English used by many people, including students, professors, and
textbook publishers...
For homework, post a comment on this blog about your personal experience with ENGFISH.
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My experience with ENGFISH was a true eye opener. I never realized that my high school English teacher was teaching me how to write versus letting me write what I felt. I also thought it was interesting how David Macrorie compared college student’s writing to third grader’s writing. For one, the maturity of the two is completely different and secondly, the spelling errors and grammar were horrendous for the third grader. Even though a college students writing would make more sense and be understood better by most, the importance of the third grader’s writing was that he/she was writing what they felt while using the only writing skill they knew.
ReplyDeleteI think Macrorie provides good insight with his example of textbook engfish. What is a better way for a student to learn how to adopt an acceptable style of writing for the professor and the discipline than through course materials? It seems unsurprising that students will often use unnecessary words to make their writing seem more sophisticated and collegiate. After all, no one wants to write like a third grader.
ReplyDeleteEngfish is the truth! While reading this article I was able to notice that I have experience engfish myself and it started in college. Being at a University and realizing that I am now entering adulthood I felt that I to change my writing style. I believed that using bigger words and trying to impress my Professors with a boarder vocabulary would help me, but instead I was a victim of engfish. I am losing my voice in my writing, and I can completely relate to the third grade writer, because I once did have a voice but now I dont. I am glad I read an article that can I can relate to and for now on I feel like I can get my voice back in my writings.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting article by Macrorie, but I think he misses the biggest reason why students resort to this sort of convoluted "engfish". Paper length. I know that I liberally pepper in adjectives and modifiers into just about every sentence to turn my three paragraphs into a four page paper. As long as there are paper requirements, there will be unnecessary adjectives and other types of silly "elevated" language. Another reason why could be because of all the books students read by authors from two to three centuries ago, and that influences their writings. Teachers should take the initiative and assign shorter papers and books from at the very least last century.
ReplyDeleteI found that article very interesting. I did not realize that I use "Engfish" whenever I try to make my papers sound a little more sophisticated. I liked how he compared a man's work to a third grader's work. Whenever we try to sound more sophisticated or "older" in our papers, we are just taking out the true feelings that are behind our words. I also liked how he pointed out that writer's are trying to write their papers like the text in their book.
ReplyDeleteI found this article interesting because I too find my self using engfish when I am writing a paper. I thought that was is what teacher and professor expect from their student and want them to sound more formal in their writing. I liked how Macrorie explained how No student would stop another on campus and say, "I desire assistance locating Sangren Hall," or "Will you show me the most effective way to the bus stop?". This statement is very true.
ReplyDeletei completely agree with the engfish article i read. I sometimes find myself in my writing trying to emulate what i am taught by my teachers or how others do it in their stories. never really allowing myself to come up with my own natural way of writing. i am not an education major, but i would seriously liked this stressed more in elementary school and high school were children are more susceptable to adapting a unique skill of writing from their minds without any outtside influences
ReplyDeleteI found this article very interesting because many people use Engfish in their writing without even knowing it. It is a way to express how they are really feeling in their work. I think this should be taught at an early age.
ReplyDeleteFrom reading this article, I agreed with most of the things the students were saying. As I got older , even in high school I felt that I had to explore my vocab and find better ways to say things. But in the past i hadn't had to many teachers tell me that I need to stop. But I can recall a few times that the word was crossed out because it was needed.
ReplyDeleteThis article was interesting simply because we all havbe found ourselves guilty of Engfish at some point in our educational careers. I think Engfish is becomming such an epidemic because stuidents try so hard to sound intelligent and have these extensive vocabulary words that theuy forget to sound real and be themselves. I find i do my best work when i don't think about it so hard, you can't fake being intelligent it's either there or it isn't. From the examples given in the article, it seems like the students are truying to hard. The key with writing is to stay true to yourself, and develop your own style.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the article completely. As a journalism major, I feel that I use Engfish way too often in my writing and it makes it difficult to enjoy writing. I find myself using words I have never heard before to make myself sound smarter in papers or to make a paper longer. I feel that this article is the voice of all college students today.
ReplyDelete(copied from the other class's blog. I commented the wrong blog.)
After reviewing this article I find it very interesting. I realize that I use Engfish in my writing consistently which can take away my joy of writing. This article discusses many great arguments especially concerning students being "themselves" when they write instead of writing in a manner that he/she may feel is appealing to the teacher. In all, this article presents a lot of interesting information that people must be informed of in order to expand his/her writing style.
ReplyDelete