I think I have discovered a new personal hero – Ellen Jovin, a published grammar and language specialist in the US, decided to do something deceptively simple. She packed up some reference books, a folding chair and table, and a hand-drawn sign that read ‘GRAMMAR TABLE’, sat on a street in New York City, and waited. Soon, a trickle of people were wandering up to her, and conversations about English grammar rules took place that, amazingly, did not turn into heated conflict about the split infinitive or whether apostrophes are actually needed anymore. Instead, they were warm, joyous and affecting exchanges that revealed much more than simply the gap between knowledge and ignorance.
The experiment inspired Ellen to take her Grammar Table on tour around the USA with her film-maker husband, and their adventures are chronicled in the film ‘Rebel with a Clause’ (https://www.rebelwithaclause.com/), newly released in the US this month.
Inspirational stuff – life needs more Ellens in the world right now…