Podcast
Questions and Answers
Every sentence has a noun phrase subject and a verb phrase ______.
Every sentence has a noun phrase subject and a verb phrase ______.
predicate
A sentence that deviates from grammatical rules is called ______.
A sentence that deviates from grammatical rules is called ______.
ungrammatical
Every grammar is equally ______ and logical.
Every grammar is equally ______ and logical.
complex
Your language is not the one ______ if a rule for English does not agree with your intuitions.
Your language is not the one ______ if a rule for English does not agree with your intuitions.
It can be expressed in any other language or ______.
It can be expressed in any other language or ______.
The sounds and sound patterns, the basic units of meaning, such as ______, and the rules to combine them to form new sentences constitute the grammar of a language.
The sounds and sound patterns, the basic units of meaning, such as ______, and the rules to combine them to form new sentences constitute the grammar of a language.
The grammar is what we know; it represents our linguistic ______.
The grammar is what we know; it represents our linguistic ______.
Every human being who speaks a language knows its ______.
Every human being who speaks a language knows its ______.
A model that describes the grammar of a language that exists in the minds of its speakers is called a ______ grammar.
A model that describes the grammar of a language that exists in the minds of its speakers is called a ______ grammar.
This internalized, unconscious set of rules is part of every grammar of every ______.
This internalized, unconscious set of rules is part of every grammar of every ______.
A descriptive grammar explains how it is possible for you to ______ and understand.
A descriptive grammar explains how it is possible for you to ______ and understand.
The Greek grammarian Dionysius Thrax defined grammar as that which permits us either to speak a ______ or to speak about a language.
The Greek grammarian Dionysius Thrax defined grammar as that which permits us either to speak a ______ or to speak about a language.
The linguist's descriptive grammar is an attempt at a formal statement (or ______) of the speakers' grammar.
The linguist's descriptive grammar is an attempt at a formal statement (or ______) of the speakers' grammar.
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Study Notes
Understanding Descriptive Grammars
- Grammar encompasses sound patterns, units of meaning (words), and rules for sentence construction, representing linguistic competence.
- Internalized and unconscious rules of grammar are crucial for language comprehension and communication.
- Every individual fluent in a language possesses knowledge of its grammar, contributing to shared linguistic understanding despite individual differences.
- Linguists aim to model the speaker's internalized grammar through descriptive grammar, which reflects basic linguistic knowledge rather than prescriptive rules on how to speak.
- Descriptive grammar serves as a formal representation of the grammar present in speakers’ minds, emphasizing understanding and explanation of language use.
- Dionysius Thrax, a Greek grammarian, historically defined grammar as enabling both language use and discussion about language.
- A rule, such as “Every sentence has a noun phrase subject and a verb phrase predicate,” pertains to both mental grammar and its descriptive model.
- Sentences classified as grammatical align with rules established in both the descriptive and mental grammar frameworks.
- If a described rule contradicts a speaker's intuitions, it suggests a discrepancy between the grammatical model and the speaker’s internalized grammar.
- Linguistically, no language or dialect is deemed superior; all grammars are equally intricate and capable of expressing complex thoughts.
- Any thought expressible in one language or dialect can be conveyed in another, albeit through various expressions and vocabularies.
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