Question: What is Edited American English (EAE)
Edited American English (EAE) is fundamentally the same as Standard
Written English (SWE), i.e. those conventions of grammar, usage, and
mechanics that writers and speakers adhere to in order to communicate
effectively. In 1997, the Writing Test Specifications Committee in planning
for the 2002-Series GED Tests aligned itself with the National Council
of Teachers of English who use EAE as the norm for the variety of English
that is most used by educated speakers of the language.
For writers, the significance is that they must still employ a style,
grammar, and usage that allows a mutual level of comprehension and understanding
among educated speakers and writers. For example, EAE still governs
when to use who or whom, is or are, pronoun forms, parallel constructions,
and sentence structure --basically, only the name has changed.
One reason for the change is perception. Any writing that is not standard
is, therefore, substandard. The change to the term EAE offsets the negative
impact that an examinee may feel in interpreting his or her writing
as substandard. The Committee wanted to remove any impediment that may
negatively impact an examinee’s future performance.
Source for the description of EAE is Zarina Hock, NCTE’s Director
of Publications.
