There was a time when having the basic knowledge of English language gave people an edge over the others and they were guaranteed success in their life and career. Now, atleast when talking about metro cities, the scenario is quite different. Even saying quite different would be an understatement.
Since most people have the idea of the basics of the language, they think they know everything and thereby they don't need to get into the detailed parts. Alexander Pope said, "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing". This is proved by the language users. Hence, due to lagging in clarity of the ideal concept and true meanings of words (many are even similar in sound or spelling) they end up making blunders which only someone with a proper knowledge of language can understand and laugh off later. Interestingly, when the same people are told of the same mistakes committed by others, they laugh off easily!
Being a language teacher/instructor (whatever may be called) I got the best experiences and observations regarding people's attitudes to language from the workplace and the classroom. Since language syllabus doesn't really aim to take the young fertile minds into the depths of words and the world of literature, the respect towards this pure discipline is quite unacceptable and unhealthy at the same time. Students and teachers (of other subjects) do not feel the need for a full fledged teacher. This is totally visible and absolute considering the attitudes of both the students and teachers (which do not belong to the field of language). They fail to understand the depth words have and the differences words can make.
Unfortunately, despite the fact they don't respect the subject, they consider that they could learn everything overnight. Which is not true at all. Why would renowned literati spend most of their childhood reading classics and then end up writing classics themselves? But to know all the facts, people (non language people included) need to try knowing first (which they would never know to try). If the syllabus is not revised and loaded (a bit) with canonical texts to be taught in the right way, the future of communication itself seems bleak
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