A mysterious email

[Joseph Nardoni]

I, too, received the message, but not being a grammarian per se, and only
someone who enjoys discussions about where and how interesting usages arise, I
didn't know what to tell the professors from China.  I did believe they were
serious, based on what my Chinese students had shared with me about the
educational relationship between professor and student.  Professors there can't afford
to be wrong about anything, because of the respect they demand from their
students. (IMHO).