definition of grammar

7/23/2019 Definition of Grammar

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Definition of Grammar: Grammar is the study of linguistics, which identifies and applies different rules for

xpression in a particular language.

Types of Grammar: There are three types of grammars. These are:

=>Traditional Grammar

=> Structural Grammar

=> Transformational Generative Grammar

istory of traditional grammar: !anini was the earliest grammarian of Sansr"it. #ormal study of grammar

found first in $urope in %enaissance. &lassical 'atin was the (ase of traditional grammar. Dominance of

raditional grammar was till the onset of the )*th century through the grammar+translation method.

istory of Structural grammar: tto -espersen and enry Sweet were opposite traditionalists. #ormal

(eginning of structural linguistics was with the pu(lication of Saussures &ourse in General 'inguistics in

0/1. 2t had two flows. These are: 2n 3merica and 2n $urope.

istory of Transformational generative grammar: #oundation of Transformational generative grammar

found first in #riess Structure of $nglish in /04) .#ormal start of Transformational generative grammar (y

5oam &homs"y with his pu(lication of the (oo" Syntactic Structures in /046.

Definition of traditional grammar: Traditional grammar has come from the grammar of classical languages

i"e Gree", 'atin. 2t usually deals with general rules of syntactic units, general rules of teaching and learning

anguage. The grammar usually used at schools is traditional grammar. 2t is prescriptive approach to

grammar. 2t uses for correctness of sentences. 2t is the study of analy7ing of sentences into parts of speech. 2t

deals with su(8ect and predicate.

$xam: 5ahida li"es flower.

ere 95ahida is 9su(8ect and 9li"es flower is 9predicate.

3dvantage of traditional grammar: Traditional grammar helps to learn native language. 2t also helps to learn

foreign language.

'imitations of traditional grammar: There are many limitations of traditional grammar. These are given

(ellow:

. Traditional grammar is an inade;uate and full of shortcomings.

). Traditional grammar is (ased mainly on 2ndo+$uropean classical languages.

. 2t does not sufficiently distinguish (etween all the linguistics levels: phonetic, morphological, syntacticand semantic.

. 2t is normative and prescriptive rather than explicit and descriptive.

4. 2ts rules are illogical.

1. 2ts approach is historical rather than contemporary.



6. 2t tries to study a living language li"e a dead one.

Definition of structural grammar: structural grammar is descriptive approach to grammar. 2t tries to descri(e

he structure of grammatical sentence. 2t emphasi7es on the function of words and sentences. 2t identifies

parts of speech through their position in sentences.

$xam: The cat caught the rat.

Sentence pattern: Det.?5?Tran. @?D, where

Det.AdeterminerB + the

5 AnounB + cat and rat

Tran. @ Atransitive ver(B + caught

D Adirect o(8ectB + the rat

3dvantages of structural grammar: 3dvantages of structural grammar is descri(ed given (ellow:

. 3ccording to &homs"y 9it is methodological rather than su(stantive

). 2t made the study of language scientific, supporta(le and o(8ective.

. 2t too" a living dialect for the study and analy7ed its features.

. The aim was to (egin with the raw data and arrive at a grammatical description of the corpus.

'imitations of structural grammar: 'imitations of structural grammar are descri(ed given (ellow:

. &homs"y critici7ed this school of linguistics for its (eing corpus+(ound, and neglect of meaning.

). Structuralism ignores explanatory ade;uacy, meaning, linguistic universals, native spea"erCs intuition and

his competence.. Structuralisms fail to capture all am(iguities and relations.

. 2t does not include the idea of creativity.

4. 2t does not account for the degree of grammatically and accepta(ility nor does not stop the generation of

ungrammatical sentences.

1. The structuralist grammar is not a whole (ut a part of whole+ an inventory of units such as phonemes,

morphemes, words, lexical categories and phrases.

Definition of Transformational Generative Grammar: Transformational grammar is the grammar which

efers to finite system, which specify and generate these infinite num(ers of sentences. $ach sentence haswo levels of structure. These are: Deep structure and Surface structure.

Deep structure: Deep structure is an a(stract structure that is close to meaning. 2t specifies the logical roles

of phrases. 2t is formed (y phrase structure rules.

Surface structure: 2t is a superficial level of structure that is close to sound. 2t descri(es the ordering of

words and phrases. 2t is formed (y traditional rules.$xam:

definition of grammar

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