> Actually, this is untrue; people automatically follow the rules of their language with extreme accuracy. They don't "strive" only in that following the rules

> Actually, this is untrue; people automatically follow the rules of their language with extreme accuracy. They don't "strive" only in that following the rules doesn't involve any conscious effort. You can't possibly be serious! If this view is based on your real-life experience then I am amazed at the rarefied circles to which you belong. https://www.thinkimpact.com/literacy-statistics/ https://www.thinkimpact.com/literacy-statistics/ - Nationwide, on average, 79% of U.S. adults are literate in 2022. - 21% of adults in the US are illiterate in 2022. - 54% of adults have a literacy below 6th grade level. - 34% of adults who lack proficiency in literacy were born outside the US. Based on these stats, you can rest assured that at least half of the adults in the United States do not have perfect grammar. And although "proficiency" is not precisely defined, I think it's safe to assume that a majority of these low-literacy adults are native speakers.