Grammar: An Introduction Definitions, historical overview, dynamic nature

Outcomes Define grammar. List reasons for studying grammar. Define & contrast descriptive, prescriptive, and innate grammars.

Define grammar A description of the structure(s) of a language –“Metalanguage”—language we use to talk about language

Define grammar What’s wrong with these definitions? –A description of a structure of a language –A description of the structure of language

Why study grammar? Helps with some aspects of writing (& speaking) –*Mike looked well in his new suit. –*The project was done by Sally and I.

Why study grammar? Grammar checkers-- Need to know grammar rules to decide if suggestions should be accepted

Why study grammar? To have the vocabulary and concepts to think and talk about language –e.g., to watch for the use of tense in a piece of literature Because it’s a window into a part of the brain

3 types of grammars Prescriptive/ pedagogical (usage) Key words: should; right, & wrong; do & do not; always & never; standard & nonstandard

Types of grammars Don’t: I ate the last piece of cake before you had a chance to eat any. Do: I had eaten the last piece of cake before you had a chance to eat any.

Types of grammars Descriptive (use) Key words/phrases: “People say X.” “In this part of the country,...” How people are actually using the language

Types of grammars Innate (the grammar gene) The built-in constraints on what structures are possible in human languages

Types of grammars Innate grammar includes “principles” (true of all languages) and “parameters” (a setting from among a group of choices) –Parameter: Adjectives before or after nouns

Outcomes check Define grammar. List reasons for studying grammar. Define & contrast descriptive, prescriptive, and innate grammars.

Next section: Outcomes Trace grammars through history. Define and provide examples of ungrammatical and grammatical. Define and provide examples of standard and nonstandard usage.

Trace grammar historically Middle Ages & beyond: “studying grammar” meant studying Latin. Traditional grammar is based on Latin & Greek.

Traditional grammar Provided names of the parts of speech, names of types of sentences & phrases –e.g., gerund, prepositional phrase, antecedent Specialized in prescriptions

Structural linguistics Founder: Ferdinand de Saussure, at University of Geneva from 1907 to 1911

Structural linguistics Became popular in the US in the 1930s Describes how people actually use a language

Structural linguistics Gave rise to descriptions of the components of words, phrases, & sentences & how they are arranged –e.g., NP -> (DET) + (ADJ) + N + (PP) –“The tallest person in our class”

Generative grammar, Universal Grammar Founder: Noam Chomsky, 1957, Syntactic Structures, MIT Innate grammar

Generative/Universal Grammar Uncover the rules that generate all the possible “grammatical” sentences in a language & no “ungrammatical” sentences

Grammatical & ungrammatical Grammatical (well formed): The weather is warm today. Ungrammatical (ill formed): Warm the is today weather. Ungrammatical = breaks the innate rules as applied to that language

Grammatical & ungrammatical Grammatical: Hand me the blue pen. Ungrammatical: Pen the me hand blue. Grammatical in Fijian: –Past kiss the child the girl. –Meaning: The girl kissed the child. Linked to descriptive/innate

Standard & nonstandard usage Usage : the set of standards that you follow to speak and write “correctly” (the standard) Prescriptive –Bad usage: I don’t got no use for grammar. –Good usage: I don’t have any use for grammar.

Outcomes check Trace grammars through history Define and provide examples of ungrammatical and grammatical. Define and provide examples of standard and nonstandard usage.

Next section: Outcome Explain & provide examples of the idea that nonstandard dialects (both regional & social) are rule-governed, systematic, and equal in sophistication & complexity to the standard dialect.

Dynamic nature of language (usage) Shakespeare, 2 Henry IV: –“There’s never none of these demure boys come to any proof.” –Meaning: Not one of these well-behaved boys amounts to anything.

Dynamic nature of language (usage) Chaucer, Canterbury Tales: –“He that is irous and wrooth, he ne may not well deme.” –Meaning: He that is angry and wrathful, he not may not judge well.

Dynamic nature of language Like a lava lamp--not improving, but always “morphing” into something different

Systematic nature of nonstandard dialects X did it _____. 1st personmyselfourselves 2nd personyourselfyourselves 3rd personHer/hisselftheirselves

Systematic nature of nonstandard dialects ____ _____ to school. 1st personI walkWe walk 2nd personYou walk 3rd personThey walk

Systematic nature of nonstandard dialects ____ _____ brain dead. 1st personI ain’t (am not)We aren’t 2nd personYou aren’t 3rd personHe/she isn’tThey aren’t

Outcome check Explain & provide examples of the idea that nonstandard dialects (both regional & social) are rule-governed, systematic, and equal in sophistication & complexity to the standard dialect.

Goals for English majors Level Three: Demonstrate that language in general is an arbitrary communication system. Arbitrary = based on choice rather than on reason

Course outcome Discuss the place of nonstandard and standard dialects (both regional and social) in the educated English speaker’s/writer’s language repertoire.