Grammar rules you can break!

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/aug/15/steven-pinker-10-grammar-rules-break

My favorite rule in there is that prepositions don't come at the end of sentences. I've come across grammar nazis who still believe that rule. My second favorite incorrect rule on their is the split infinitive. I think both of those rules are rules that never get violated in French?

Which reminds me, I've wanted to learn to distinguish/write in different registers in French. At this point, all I know is use «vous» for formal, and «tu» for informal. But whenever I write my older relatives, I end up worrying that I'm not being deferential enough. I send some of what I wrote to my dad, but his response is usually "You're not French, it's okay!" Thanks Dad...

Anyone have a modern "usage guide," not a style sheet (as the article makes clear that these often contain incorrect, regurgitated information) that they recommend for the French language?

Hi Vanessa,

Your link is active: fine!   

Thanks a lot (in 2 words) for this article: I'm very excited.
However, I cannot read it for now because I'm very busy (first of all I must go to bed as I've to get up early and be in excellent physical  condition tomorrow).
Being able to use different registers of a language (native or foreign) is very important but very difficult.
"Tu" or "vous" is not enough, the vocabulary has to be chosen, the grammar has to be adapted, as well as the pronunciation, etc.

Surprisingly, I learned that -at least in British English- though the French often forget the "h"s at the beginning (or in the middle) of words, we must not pronounce them too much (like Germans do) as this is a sign of poor education; "whom" instead of "who" (even if it's grammatically necessary) is poshy; etc. speaking with my American buddies on forums, I have to make the same mistakes (let's say a few voluntary mistakes )