Should language follow fixed rules of correct usage?
Since 2010 John has held that grammar and spelling exist to make communication clear, and that using them to shame people defeats that purpose; he still said so in 2024. Hank treats language as fluid, defending slang, loanwords and both pronunciations of GIF, though in 2026 he said deliberate changes can get in the way of clear communication.
Axis: descriptivist: usage decides ... prescriptivist: rules decide
Positions by date: 11 records in 11 videos. The position did not change in these records.
John
| date | how | position | video |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-07-24 (said on 2010-07-23, implied) | first on record | John holds that grammar and spelling, though their importance can be exaggerated, exist to make communication clear, and that not valuing language degrades public discourse. | Grammar School with Snooki 00:00:35 |
| 2010-09-29 | restate | John holds that grammar and pronunciation exist to make communication clear, and that snotty correction defeats that purpose by making people afraid to speak. | MY FRIEND CHESTER 00:02:17 |
| 2011-10-19 | restate | John values clarity in written language but thinks debating the Oxford comma wastes finite human attention. | Question Wed — THE COVER OF THE FAULT IN OUR STARS! 00:01:32 |
| 2011-12-05 | restate | John insists that 'it's' with an apostrophe is only for the contraction of 'it is', and is outraged that the Constitution gets it wrong. | 5 Worst Typos of History 00:01:37 |
| 2012-03-20 | restate | John says grammar's purpose is to make language as clear and intelligible as possible; using it to humiliate people in YouTube comments annoys him. | Sharpie Face Question Tuesday 00:01:06 |
| 2020-05-19 | restate | John says the kids reject proper English with a double negative yet their meaning stays clear and powerful, which is the point of language, undermining the idea that proper English is superior. | Didn't Make Sense Not to Live for Fun 00:01:56 |
| 2024-09-03 | restate | John says most people use hyphens for ranges, which is fine: language exists not to oppress us but to promote clarity of expression. | Which is Correct? — or – ? 00:01:56 |
Hank
| date | how | position | video |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-05-22 | first on record | Hank argues against mocking slang: language is fluid and subcultures define themselves by slang terms. | 15 Rants in Four Minutes 00:01:31 |
| 2017-12-01 | restate | Hank says loanword adaptation is not disrespect for a language: it shows we need the word and can't say it with sounds our language lacks. | Let's Talk About Stress! 00:01:23 |
| 2021-11-19 | restate | Seeing a TikTok argue how to pronounce GIF, Hank says he is five years into hearing every argument and has settled on both pronunciations being correct. | How do We Get Anything Done At All? 00:00:00 |
| 2026-06-13 (said on 2026-06-12, implied) | restate | Hank says one aim of language is clear communication, and intentional changes can get in its way, as Türkiye made him think about pronunciation rather than the team. | Wait...How Do You Pronounce Turkey??? 00:03:53 |
Background
| date | how | position | video |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-09-27 (said on 2010-09-28, implied) | background | Hank holds that correct usage and pronunciation matter: saying things wrong is embarrassing, and confusing distinctions like affect and effect are important to figure out. (playful) | Stop Embarrassing Yourself 00:02:46 |
| 2013-05-03 | background | Hank says both pronunciations of GIF are correct and correcting people on it makes the corrector the only one who is wrong. (playful) | 17 Rants in 4 Minutes 00:02:09 |
| 2013-08-03 | background | John insists on 'who', not 'that', for people, refusing to accept the spread of 'that' (Hank: 'That's just how we talk, now'). (playful) | Esther Day 2013 00:00:40 |
| 2014-03-18 | background | John playfully rejects the insistence that 'data' must take a plural verb. (playful) | Is the American Dream Real? 00:01:05 |
| 2014-04-08 | background | John says words belong to their users, but 'guy-f' as a pronunciation of GIF is a stretch. (playful) | I Don't Even Know 00:00:25 |
| 2018-03-13 | background | The description concedes the title should technically be 'For Whom Should We Root', but says language is alive and in the clarity business, not the rules business. (playful) | Who Should We Root For? video description |
Dates are upload dates, which set the order. Where the speaker gives a different recording date in the video, it is added as "said on YYYY-MM-DD, implied" (derived from the date said in the video).