After reading through the thread discussing the ending of some aspects of sample sentence writing I noticed that a few people were complaining about correctness. What, exactly, is correct Chinese? I don't even know what correct English is and I'm an English teacher!

Languages change and what is considered to be right today will be seen as quaint and archaic some time in the future.

Yes, but sometimes recognize you English unmistakably wrong would you wouldn't, as¿

Language is a living system but in order to keep it working there have to be standards.

these standards (of spelling) of a language are to be found in books like DUDEN for German, WEBSTER's for English or Larousse for French.

There are additional grammar books for each language that tell you how to use the tenses...

and as an English teacher you really should know what is correct.

I think in most circumstances the changes are terrible. I saw on the news recently a discussion talking about phasing out there, their and they're. Along with changing the spelling of words like phlegm. I have no problem with using lazy or slang speech, but different types of language are relevant for different circumstances. I would hope to learn the "correct" chinese grammar and spelling and then in the future learn the slang and colloquial speech.

I fully support learninglife's view. Just as an example, see the following sentences (number of users in brackets):
1)他的视力已经开始下降 (3)
2)我已经吃饱了 (9)
3)夏天已经结束 (10)
4)我已经认识她很久了 (6)
5)已经9点了 (4)
6)我已经决定好了 (4)
7)他已经去了英国 (3)
8)展览现在已经开放 (6)
9)已经是11点了 (2)
10)最近物价已经下降 (5)

These are the first 10 example sentences for 已经. So, they demonstrate the usage of 已经, but you learn in every decent grammar, that 已经 mostly requires a 了, especially when talking about completed actions or change of state. Exactly this is the case in all these sentences. For me, only sentences 2, 5,6 and 7 are acceptable. However, if you also look at the English translation, then only sentence 5 is 100% OK as an example for a learner.

I have also seen quite a number of sentences with missing measure word after a numeral or 这, 那, missing de's between noun and modifier or adjective and verb. This might be acceptable in everyday colloquial language, but not acceptable as learning material for students.

That's, why I complained earlier about the quality of the sentences. As a result, I am doing now my own sentences and will let them be proof-read by a native Chinese. This will take some time, but once I'm ready with the first 500 - 600 (example sentences for function words), I will publish them in a list and make them available to others.

You're writing your own sentences, Roland? I think it might be easier and more reliable if we find an (e-)book written by a respected writer, find examples of usage from there, and translate them into English.

@Roland, 你一丝不苟的治学精神实在令人敬佩。 But an example sentence given by the TW MOE dictionary for 已经 is, "儒林外史˙第二十三回：「進了子午宮，只見牛玉圃已經回來，坐在樓底下。」 " No 了 can be found after 已经.

懒虫, you're right, but then you have the copyright problem. I am not writing all as new sentences, only some, but using existing ones also; will then correct them as far as I can and then let them proof-read.

pts: I don't understand this sentence, is this classical Chinese? As I said: mostly. It's not 已经 in itself, it is the usage of it in the sense of having something done already, or something has changed already; all 10 sentences have exactly this meaning according to their English translation.

Look at sentence 3) for example, it already sounds to me very strange.

I didn't want to discuss in detail certain grammar points here, but if there is such a high error rate, how can we make sure to learn the right stuff and not the wrong one. And it is not just something, which "was wrong yesterday, but correct today".

I do these sentences for my wife, who also started to learn Chinese 6 months ago. She would have no chance to see what is right and what is wrong.

Roland (just writing from her account, during editing of sentences)

儒林外史˙第二十三回 - extracted from the novel 儒林外史, chapter 23.
進了子午宮, 只見牛玉圃已經回來, 坐在樓底下– after coming into the place 子午宮, (he) saw the person 牛玉圃 has already returned, sitting downstairs.

This sentence does not have a 了 after 已经. According to your previous message, this sentence is unacceptable. You found a lot of sentences unacceptable. But the problem is, are they really unacceptable? And back to the original question, “What is correct Chinese?”

@ 夏普本

Have you ever read anything about Old English? Modern English is so unlike it. If there, their, and they're are eventually subsumed into one word or concept it won't be surprising to future linguists who study the history of the English language. Stranger things have happened.

as I have said before: the wisdom of the masses doesnt work here with the example sentences because most users here are learning the language and are not native speakers who could correct them properly.

as for the question of what is correct and what is not: this could be easily answered by standard grammar books and chinese dictionaries.
or just a good teacher or chinese native speaker.

so i come to the conclusion that skritter users who expect flawless and CORRECT example sentences should by all means stay away from the present example sentences.

@icecream

Of course the English language has changed dramatically, but since the proliferation of English as a global language and the widespread use in films, books, this has meant the current version, last century has actually not changed much, apart from the addition of new words. A common standard has developed that is supported by all this media available nowadays. Obviously this was not the case centuries ago.

@ 夏普本

Compare The Catcher in the Rye to The Great Gatsby if you think that English hasn't changed much in the past century or has a "common standard".

With the advent of new media English is diverging, not converging. I am unable to understand many new rap songs.

@ learninglife j.h.

Who is a Chinese native speaker for you? The languages in China differ from one another more than Romance languages differ among themselves in Europe.

@icecream

the term native speaker is vague, I admit, but I chose it in want of a better one.

what i mean with "native speaker" in connection to the present problem with skritter sentences being incorrect is that a "native speaker" or the plural of it could easily correct the sentences that are incorrect at present.

and no, the languages in China differ not. What you mean are DIALECTS.

and when you mention the Cather in the Rye this might be a good example of youth language. one of the reasons for such a "group language" is partly to set the group apart from the "main stream" and in some cases to hide the meaning, to keep it secret.

we can argue here for another week but this will still not make the example sentences any better.