Prescriptivism and the cinema

[Wilson Gray]

In a p.c., Jon reminded me of the 1946 film, Gilda, starring Rita
Hayworth. By coincidence, I saw this movie, back then. In it, Rita
sings the song, "Put The Blame On Mame." At the time, it became so
popular that, by the time that I reached high school several years
later, the song was an "old standard," approximately the same as a
"golden oldie" in contemporary AmE.

In high school, we used a prescriptive-grammar textbook
unfortunately-titled, English Grammar. According to this grammar,
_blame_ could *not* be used as a verb. The Jesuit teaching the course
suggested that, as a mnemonic, we keep in mind the song title, "*Put
The Blame On* Mame."


OT. Trying to locate this book in the high school's library enabled me
to be certain of my impression that "grade school" is the standard
term in Saint Louis and not "elementary school," "primary school," or
whatever. I know that "grade shool" is the StL-BE term, but, of
course, only its use by a white authority makes it "standard."

--
-Wilson
–––
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die!"––a strange complaint to
come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
–Mark Twain

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