Hush up you inner grammarian!

[sekiharatae]

¬.¬

Does anyone else have an inner grammarian that comes along and complains at inopportune moments?  And -- technically -- the grammarian is correct, but that doesn't necessarily make the writing better?

I want to describe Tifa as wearing the same clothing she'd worn the night before.  Or as wearing the same clothing she'd worn the night previous.  Or the same clothing she'd worn previously. (Although I like being specific that she wore it at night, not just in general.)  Or as wearing the same clothing she'd worn the previous night.

All but the first are correct, but -- dangit! -- the incorrect one sounds better!

So I asked my husband.  

He said:  Does anyone really pay attention to that anymore? 

(I raised my hand.) 

He said: I mean besides you and the Grammarian Your Mother Warned You About (which is the nickname we have for a friend of ours).

I know that the 'no ending a sentence with a preposition' rule has fallen out of grace, and that it's generally only followed if it would make the sentence sound stupid or awkward.  But now I'm annoyed that I can't figure out a way to write the sentence where it is grammatically correct by the rules I learned (ages and ages and ages ago) and still sounds... good.

Comments

[windrider1.livejournal.com]

I should, as a fellow ficcer, say I notice those things all the time, and I do, but I don't. If the grammatical errors are staggering, yes, I'll be frothing at the mouth, or if they are used in narrative that is non-POV specific, I'm irritated at mistakes. However, in GOOD writing and storytelling the grammar rules take a backseat to character. So, you have to ask yourself, how would Cloud say that? You're writing HIS POV and unless I missed something, you aren't there. So, would your character think: She was wearing the same clothing she'd worn the night previous; or would he think: she was wearing that same brain imploding scrap of sexy cloth from the night before. ??

Preposition be damned.

/ranty opinion

[sekiharatae.livejournal.com]

LOL *hugs*

Well, I've moved things around a bit since I sent you those paragraphs last night -- I didn't think Cloud would recognize "cap sleeves" -- but you have a very good point!