Letter from an alumnus about Grammatical gaffes?

Date Posted: December 27, 2004

I am a longtime reader, first-time writer. I do not want to take anything away from the content of the piece or the idea behind the article, but it truly saddened me to read Tom Downey's “The Road Not Taken” (Perspective, Sept. 15). Although it is not the New Yorker, I tend to hold the writing of the PAW to pretty high stylistic standards. As a result, it really saddened me to read that Mr. Downey's article was written — and approved by the editors — in the new, grammatically incorrect style that is so pervasive in our times. I am referring to a writing style in which it is not incorrect to write sentences that begin with conjunctions (the words “and” and “but”). I understand PAW is trying to gear its content to be a reflection of the times in which we live, but I honestly never thought I would see such a thing in our beloved magazine.

Gerardo Alvarez ’91
Pasadena, Calif.

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