If you understand what I meant, the grammar already worked.

The Traditional Rule:

Grammar exists to ensure precision, clarity, and correctness. Follow the rules, and your meaning will be preserved. Break them, and chaos will ensue. Language is a machine; syntax, its operating manual.

Why It’s Broken:

Because meaning doesn’t come from rules — it comes from context. Grammar is not a machine. Language is a living, breathing, utterly flexible act of co-creation between speaker and listener. If I say, “Me and her went store,” every pedant in the room will faint — and yet everyone understood it. There was no confusion. No collapse of society. No need for a grammar exorcist.

In fact, some of the most “incorrect” sentences in English are the most understood — because context does the heavy lifting, not correctness.

Absurdities and Contradictions:

• “I ain't got no time.”
  Double negative? Technically. Unclear? Not even slightly. It means: I have no time. You know it. Everyone knows it.

• “He done gone there already.”
  Three errors, allegedly. Yet even your grandmother’s dog knows what it means.

• “We was just talkin’.”
  Was instead of were. Missing ‘g’. Still more emotionally rich and expressive than, “We were just having a conversation.”

• “Y’all”
  Not even a real word? It communicates plurality perfectly — more precisely than anything in standard English, which lacks a formal plural you. If anything, “y’all” fixes a hole in the language.

• “Can I use the bathroom?” / “May I.”
  No one is confused. One asks for permission. The other corrects your soul. Guess who’s less helpful.

Real-World Examples of Context Saving the Day:

• “Your my favorite.”
  Wrong your. No misunderstanding.

• “Its going to rain.”
  No apostrophe? You still grab an umbrella.

• Text messages:
  No caps. No punctuation. No subject-verb agreement. Yet entire relationships now depend on “k” or “K.” The context is clear — and often terrifying.

• Song lyrics:
  “Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone.” We didn’t need “There isn’t any sunlight when she departs.” Context gave it soul.

British vs. American Variants:

• British formality vs. American function:
  Brits love their “whom,” “one does,” and “nevertheless.” Americans opt for “who,” “you,” and “still.” Both understand each other — because context is the bridge.

• “I could care less” (US idiom) vs. “I couldn’t care less” (UK logic):
  Americans know the former means the latter. Context again.

The Reform Proposal:

1. Prioritize clarity, not conformity. If the meaning is unambiguous, the grammar is working.

2. Stop using grammar to judge intelligence. Language proficiency ≠ intellectual worth. Misspellings and informal syntax are not moral failings.

3. Encourage fluidity in casual use, formality in functional spaces. There’s nothing wrong with shifting tone. You dress differently for a wedding than a barbecue. Same goes for your grammar.

4. Teach students meaning-making, not rule-pleasing. Let learners explore how phrasing affects tone, emotion, and clarity — not just correctness.

How It Would Work in Practice: