FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions and our answers indicate where we stand on certain issues
Q What does the QES actually
do?
A The Society campaigns to
encourage high standards of written and spoken
English, which have been found to be lamentably low
among school-leavers and even university graduates.
One of its principal campaigns is for better and
explicit English language education and regular
constructive correction of errors in English language
in schools. The Society arranges meetings, lectures
and courses, promotes research, publishes
members' work and provides media comment.
Q Does the QES want to police or
govern the language?
A No. That is not seen as our
role, as our language will always continue to evolve
just as it has done through the ages. We would,
however, comment on any alterations to the language
that are felt to be not in keeping with clarity and
elegance in written or spoken English.
Q If the QES does not want to
police or govern the language, why does it claim to
be 'prescriptive'?
A The Society prefers the
prescriptive approach to the descriptive approach, as
we do not want the language to lose its fine or major
distinctions. We believe that descriptive
linguistics, which declares anything anybody said or
wrote to be 'correct' caters to mass
ignorance under the supposed aegis of democracy and
political correctness. Indeed some changes would be
wholly unacceptable as they would cause confusion and
the language would lose shades of meaning.
Q Does the QES set rules of good
English?
A No. While the Society does not
set out the rules of good English, which already
exist and indeed change over time, it has established
a collection of reference books which readers might
find useful. The Queen's English and How to Use
It, published in September 2010, is available for
sale at good bookstores around the country.
Q Does the QES tolerate deviations
from the rules that exist?
A The Society believes that the
rules of Standard English should be adhered to in
formal written communication as far as possible and
where the context demands it. We do not believe,
however, that the rules should be adhered to blindly
at the expense of literary impact. Indeed, the
Society encourages rich and imaginative English where
appropriate, as in poetry, drama, fiction and some
non-fiction. Schools should teach pupils to suit
their style of writing to the context.
Q Is the QES a self-appointed
group of authoritarians?
A No. Some of the Society's
members are pedantic to a lesser or greater degree,
but to ask people to enjoy using something properly
and elegantly is hardly authoritarian.
Q Does the QES favour a certain
accent in spoken English?
A No. It is not a question of
favouring any particular accent, many of which are delightful
to hear. What we DO say is that in formal situations an
accent may hinder understanding, so to use no accent
may be preferable. One needs to adjust the accent to
suit the circumstances.
Q Does the QES oppose the
assimilation of foreign words?
A We appreciate that the English
language has gained enormously from such
'loan' or 'portmanteau' words, owing
to the invasions of England by the Vikings and the
Normans, borrowings and new coinages from Latin and
Greek, our cultural openness to borrowing and its
modern global importance. However, we disapprove if
some unclear foreign usage or word threatens a good
traditional English one. We do not want English to be
swamped by Americanisms. For example, the American
use of "pavement" for the main road
surface, instead of for the pedestrian part, could
cause confusion.
Q Does the QES take a stand on
simplified spelling?
AYes. We are against simplified spelling
because no one can agree on an acceptable system, and
having old and new systems running together would be
very confusing. Such a change could cut people off
from older literature, causing us to lose familiarity
with their mode of utterance, and would be very
costly.
Q Does the QES accept anyone as
a member or does one have to be a specialist?
A Anyone is welcome to join, and we
encourage members of all ages and backgrounds to join
our campaign, from teachers of English or other
subjects, to school-leavers, dissatisfied parents and
employers, or anyone else interested in using the
English language as clearly and beautifully as
possible.