There are three stages in scientific discovery. First, people deny that it is true, then they deny that it is important; finally they credit the wrong person.
Bill BrysonRead
For most of us the rules of English grammar are at best a dimly remembered thing. But even for those who make the rules, grammatical correctitude sometimes proves easier to urge than to achieve. Among the errors cited in this book are a number committed by some of the leading authorities of this century. If men such as Fowler and Bernstein and Quirk and Howard cannot always get their English right, is it reasonable to expect the rest of us to?
Interpretation
What this quote means
Grammar can be difficult, even for experts. Mistakes are common and should be expected.
In this quote, Bill Bryson humorously reflects on the challenges of mastering English grammar, suggesting that even esteemed grammarians make mistakes. He reassures readers that if renowned language authorities can stumble in their use of grammar, it is unreasonable to hold the average person to an impossibly high standard.
Themes
GrammarLanguageMistakesExpectationsLearning
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about the importance of accepting mistakes in learning.
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