Faithful readers,
Having read this blog, you know full well that I am not much of a grammar nazi. But I try to use proper grammar and full, reasonably coherent sentences. Sure, I throw the odd semicolon around with wild abandon, but I don't normally go around chastising people for their dangling gerunds (I looked that up btw). However, I draw the line at the increasing use of "Good" as a response to "How's it going?" or "How are you doing?".
I attempted to head this off at the pass this morning as I drove my sub 6 daughter to school:
"How is so-and-so doing?", I asked.
"Good", she replied.
Attempting to seize the opportunity and right the listing ship, I tactfully say, "Y'know... it's proper to say 'well' when someone asks you how you're doing or how is it going."
"No it's not Daddy."
"I'm pretty sure it is, cupcake.", I reply, deciding immediately that this is neither the time nor place to introduce the concept of verbs into the conversation.
"No. I'm right, and you're not Daddy."
Perhaps weakly, I resort to the standard, "This would be a good thing to ask Mrs. X".
Mrs. X being her teacher of course. The one person who can overrule whatever nonsense it is that Daddy tries to pawn off on her as knowledge.
Based on a multitude of similar conversations I've had with her in the past, this tactic usually works. Normally, I won't bring it up again right away, but (hopefully) I'll notice her slipping in the 'well' in place of the 'good' on her own accord.
Perhaps the job is just to plant the seed. All you can do is water it, care for it, and hope it grows.
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