ABSTRACT
In this chapter we discuss the key political issue of standardisation as it concerns written language, arguing that the insistence on ‘correctness’ in spelling, punctuation and sentence structure has a disciplinary, normative and discriminatory role in social life. 1 Conventional spelling and punctuation particularly have the symbolic function of representing social acceptability and educational achievement rather than having intrinsic value in their own right. We are claiming that the moral hysteria that surrounds these issues is misplaced and extremely damaging. It condemns those who have difficulty with mechanical aspects of written language, and it places teachers in the impossible position of having to perpetuate the hold these beliefs have over society in order to ensure the life-chances of those they are teaching.
