Seminar 1

1. THEORETICAL GRAMMAR AND ITS SUBJECT.

Grammar

Practical Theoretical
The aim of practical grammar is the The aim of theoretical
description of grammar rules that are grammar is to offer explanation
necessary to understand and formulate for these rules.
sentences.

The main aim of theoretical grammar is to present a Theoretical grammar deals

theoretical description of the grammatical system of with the language as a
the English language, to scientifically analyze and functional system.
define its grammar categories and study mechanisms
of grammatical formation of utterances out of words
in the process of speech making.
 2. DIFFERENT TO THE APPROACHES ANALYSIS OF LANGUAGE AS A FUNCTIONAL
SYSTEM: SEMANTIC, SYNTACTIC AND PRAGMATIC.

The word is considered to be the central (but

not the only) linguistic unit of language.
Linguistic units (or in other words – signs)
can go into three types of relations:

The relation between a unit and an The relation between a unit and a
object in the world around us person who uses it. As we know
(objective reality). too well, when we are saying
E.g. the word ‘table’ refers to a definite The relation between a unit and other something, we usually have some
piece of furniture. It may be not only units (inner relations between units). purpose in mind. We use the
an object but a process, state, quality. No unit can be used independently; it language as an instrument for

serves as an element in the system of our purpose (e.g.). One and the
This type of meaning is called other units. same word or sentence may
referential meaning of a unit. It is
acquire different meanings in
semantics that studies the referential This kind of meaning is called communication.
meaning of units. syntactic. Formal relation of units to

one another is studied by syntactics This type of meaning is called

(or syntax). pragmatic. The study of the

relationship between linguistic
units and the users of those units
is done by pragmatics.
3. LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS. THE COMMUNICATIVE FUNCTION OF LANGUAGE.

Expressive language function Manipulative function serve a

Language reports feelings or attitudes primary purpose of affecting the
of the writer (or speaker), or of the behaviour of others.

subject, or evokes feelings in the

reader (or listener). Authors use letters, sounds, and even

words to create an effect. Sometimes,
Language is used to enable us to
participate in communicative acts with
other people, to take on roles and to
express and understand feelings,
authors even make a fun game with
words and sounds.
This is called playful function.

attitude and judgements.

This function is known as the
interpersonal function.
to others, to convey information to
Language is used to organise, understand
and express our perceptions of the world
and of our own consciousness. This function
is known as the ideational function. The
ideational function is language concerned
with building and maintaining a theory of
Сommunicative function
We use language to express ourselves
them and to understand what people
are communicating to us. Requesting,
apologizing, informing, ordering as
well as promising bond refusing are
reasons for communicating our ideas.

experience.

 4.GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GRAMMATICAL STRUCTURE OF LANGUAGE.

ANALYTICAL AND SYNTHETIC LANGUAGES.
Indo-European languages are classified
into two structural types

Synthetic Analytic
Synthetic languages are defined as Analytical languages are those of
ones of ‘internal’ grammar of the ‘external’ grammar because most
word – most of grammatical grammatical meanings and
meanings and grammatical grammatical forms are expressed
relations of words are expressed with the help of words (will do).
with the help of inflexions
(Ukrainian - зроблю, Russian, Latin,
etc).
We cannot speak of languages as purely synthetic
or analytic – the English language (Modern
English) possesses analytical forms as prevailing,
while in the Ukrainian language synthetic devices
are dominant. In the process of time English has
become more analytical as compared to Old
English. Analytical changes in Modern English
(especially American) are still under way.
5. LANGUAGE AND SPEECH AS TWO MAIN NOTIONS OF MODERN LINGUISTICS.

The distinction between language and speech was made by Ferdinand de Saussure, the
Swiss scholar usually credited with establishing principles of modern linguistics.

Language is a collective body Speech is closely connected with

of knowledge, it is a set of language, as it is the result of
basic elements, but these using the language, the result of
elements can form a great a definite act of speaking. Speech
variety of combinations. In is individual, personal while
fact the number of these language is common for all
combinations is endless. individuals.
Language is opposed to speech and accordingly
language units are opposed to speech units.

The language unit phoneme is opposed to

the speech unit – sound: phoneme /s/ can
sound differently in speech - /s/ and /z/.

The sentence is opposed to the utterance;

the text is opposed to the discourse.
 6. LANGUAGE AS A STRUCTURAL SYSTEM. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF
LINGUISTIC UNITS. THE NOTION OF ISOMORPHISM. THE LINGUISTIC UNIT AS A
DOUBLE ENTITY.

Language is regarded as a system of elements (or: signs, units) such as sounds, words, etc.
System implies the characterization of a complex object as made up of separate parts.
Language is a structural system. In the structure of language there are four main structural levels: phonological,
morphological, syntactical and supersyntatical.
The phonological level is The supersyntactical
the lowest level. The morphological level has two The syntactical level has two level level has the text as its
The phonological level unit level units: the morpheme – the level unit.
units as well:

is the phoneme. It is a lowest meaningful unit; the word-group – the dependent

distinctive unit (bag – back). the word – the main naming syntactic unit; the sentence – the
(nominative) unit of language. main communicative unit.

Any linguistic unit is a

double entity. It unites a
This similarity and likeness of organization of linguistic concept and a sound image.
units is called isomorphism. The two elements are
This is how language works – a small number of elements intimately united and each
at one level can enter into thousands of different recalls the other. There are
combinations to form units at the other level. the content side and the
expression side.

Isomorphism can exist between the syntactic and the

semantic structure of expressions.
 7. SYSTEMIC RELATIONS IN LANGUAGE: PARADIGMATIC AND
SYNTAGMATIC RELATIONS AND THEIR TYPES.

in two types of relations
Lingual units stand to one another

Syntagmatic Paradigmatic
Syntagmatic relations are immediate Paradigmatic relations are based on the
linear relations between units in a principles of similarity. They exist
segmental sequence. A linguistic unit between the units that can substitute one another.
enters into syntagmatic relations with
other units of the same level. Semantic Functional
Formal Functional PR are
Semantic PR are Formal PR are based on the
E.g. in the word-group A PINT OF based on the based on the similarity of
MILK the word PINT contrasts similarity of similarity of function. They are
syntagmatic meaning: a book to forms. Such established
relations with A, OF, MILK; within read = a book relations exist between the
the word PINT – P, I, N and T are in for reading. between elements that can
syntagmatic relations. the members of a occur in the same
paradigm: man – position. For
men; play – played – instance, noun
will play – is determiners: a, the,
playing. this, his, Ann‟s,
some, each, etc.
 7. SYSTEMIC RELATIONS IN LANGUAGE: PARADIGMATIC AND
SYNTAGMATIC RELATIONS AND THEIR TYPES.

Syntagmatic relations

Coordinate SR
exist between the Subordinate SR
homogeneous are the relations of Predicative SR are
linguistic units dependence when one the relations of
that are equal in linguistic unit depends on interdependence:
the other: primary and
rank, that is, they
teach + er – morphological secondary
are the relations
level; a smart student – word- predication.
of independence: group level; predicative and
you and me; They subordinate clauses – sentence
were tired but level.
happy.