GRAMMAR

Grammar
concern with description and analysis
of structures that may be abstracted
from stretches of utterance.
Traditionally the longest structure
within which a full grammatical
analysis is possible has been taken as
the “sentences”.
Sentence
Largest structure wholly describable
in grammatical terms, or in
Bloomfield’s formulation “an
independent linguistic form not
included by virtue of any grammatical
construction in any larger linguistic
form”(Bloomfield’s, Language, 1935)
 We have to use the word
grammar in two ways:
• The first in reference to the
grammar speakers have their
brains.
• The second as the model or
description of this internalized
grammar.(Cole 1975)
DIONYSIOUS THRAX
• Greek grammarian
• Defined grammar as “that
which permits us either to
speak a language or to
speak about language”
The “Rule” in Grammar
“Every sentence has a
noun phrase subject
and a verb phrase
predicate”
Grammar
is one essential and important
language component other than
sounds, meanings, as do the
phrases and the sentences that
the speakers construct using the
“rule” of grammar.
• The word “grammar” has a
variety of meanings, one of which
is relatively complete and
systematic description of a
language.
• The internalized, psychological
system of elements and rules
underlying the use of one’s native
language.
Usage
• The term “usage” could be synonymous
to the word “grammar” but “usage”
refers to the lexical, grammatical and
phonological or orthographical
occurences in speech and writing, that is,
to everything that people say or write,
with special reference to the way they do
it ( Finegan, Attitudes Toward English
Usage 13).