Structu

ral
Gramm

Definiti
on

Main
repres
entativ
es

Main
objectiv
es and
Charact
eristics

Struct
ural
Gram
mar

Concepti
on of
Languag
e
Basic
principle
s and
concept
Contribu
s
tions
and
Limitatio
ns
Gramma
tical
Organiz
ation
Analysi

s of the
senten
ce

Definition
It

is an approach to the written and

the spoken language that focuses on

the construction of sentences. It deals
with the structure of the sentence and
not necessarily with the words that are
going to be used.

Main
Represen
tatives

Saussure

Bloomfield

Fries

Pike

Main
objective
s

To
descri
be.

To
analyz
e.
Structur
al
Gramma
r
To
descri
be.

To
limit
.

Character
istics
Descriptive
Spoken language
Scientific
All forms of expression
(language) are studied
Inductive
Grammar is described in
its own terms
Synchronic

Conceptio
n of
Language
LANGUE (SOCIAL)
Essential
Social product
Homogeneous
Abstract
Established

PAROLE
(INDIVIDUAL)
Accessory
Individual product
Heterogeneous
Concrete
Momentary

Basic
principles
and main
concepts
Prior
Human speech
Written and spoken
Descriptiveness vs.
Prescriptiveness
Main concepts
Saussures dichotomies
Langue

Parole

Signified
Diachronic

Signifier
Synchroni
c

Contributi
ons

Expressions
Language
Differentiation
System
Dichotomies
Description
Instrument of
communication
Analysis of the
phonological system

Limitation
s

The main limitations for this grammatical

category are the following:

Diachronic is not
considered
The language functions are not
explained

Semantic is not considered part of

grammar

Grammati
cal
Organizat
ion

Consist on dividing the language in the

smallest units
of information following three levels of
analysis:

Phonology: the phones or speech sounds of the language

Morphology: Classes of words

and Inflectional forms

Syntax: Relationships between the

components of a sentence

Analysis
of the
sentence

These are the common abbreviations for

the sentence analysis
(Sb)= Subject
(P) predicate
(H) Head
(M)= Modifier
(V)= Verb
(C)=
complement
(Sub)= subordinator
(D)
dependent unit

Analysis
of the
sentenc
e (Sb

The present that Caroline gave me was

expensive
(P
)

) present that Caroline gave me

The
expensive
(M)
(V)

(H
)
The
present

that Caroline gave me

was

(C)

was

expensive
(M)
(D)
The

(H)

(Sub)

present
Caroline gave me

Det
Verb

Noun
Adjective
Pronoun

that
(Sb)
Caroline
(P)
gave me
(V) gave
(C)me
Relat
Noun

Prop
past Pron

Verb
Pres.

Obj

Reference
s
Structural grammar. (n.d.) Structural grammar.
[Online article].
Retrieved June 8, 2011, from
the World Wide Web:
http://jilaniwarsi.tripod.com/sg.pdf
What is structural grammar? (2003). What is
structural grammar? [Online article]. Retrieved June
10, 2011, from the World Wide Web:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-structuralgrammar.htm