[aleph_minus_one]

> It's easier to see these things with more distance and objectivity in a foreign language.

I have a similar opinion about such topics in foreign languages. It's just that I am much less knowledgeable concerning their subtle parts, so I as a non-native speaker can often not be sure whether I am right or I'm not aware of some subtle part of the respective language. Thus I am much more cautious concerning expressing such points for foreign languages.

But your argument

> Eg think of all the English speakers who complain when people mix up its, it's, they're, their, there in writing and accuse them of 'muddled thinking' or at least of 'bad grammar'.

which is about topics that you learn about in your first weeks of English lessons could indeed come from me.

So: I see things with the same "objectivity" in all languages (that I know or am learning); I'm just much more knowledgeable and thus outspoken concerning my native language.

[eru]

> which is about topics that you learn about in your first weeks of English lessons could indeed come from me.

There's a difference between prescriptivism and descriptivism. Languages are something people, not what grammarians make up in their books.

Please do have a look at the Emonds paper. It's interesting, I promise.