Grammar and the study

of language
What is Grammar?
The set of rules that allows us to
combine words into our language
into larger units.
WHY STUDY
GRAMMAR?
Part of our general knowledge
Understand the nature of
language
Realize the grounds for linguistic
prejudices and moderate them
Assess linguistic issues of public
concern more clearly
Help to use the language more
effectively
Applications of
grammatical study
A recognition of grammatical
structures is often essential for
punctuation
A study of ones native grammar is
helpful when one studies the
grammar of a foreign language
A knowledge of grammar is a help in
the interpretation of literary as well
as nonliterary texts
A study of the grammatical
resources is useful in composition
The meanings of
Grammar
Grammar includes both:
SYNTAX
MORPHOLOGY
Other types of linguistic
Lexicology
organization
Semantics
Phonology
Phonetics
Pragmatics
Orthography,etc
Rules
The rules of grammar state which
combination of words are possible
in the language and which are not
Prescriptive:rules that specify
which usages should be adopted or
avoided
Descriptive: a rule that describes
how people use their language
The importance of
English
Criteria of importance:
1. the number of native speakers a
language happens to have
2. the extent to which a language is
geographically dispersed
3. vehicular load
4. economic and political influence of those
who speak it as their own language
Uses of English as native, second and
foreign language
The demand for English
A lingua franca of science and technology
Varieties of English and
classes of varieties
Regional varieties
Varieties according to education
and social standing
Varieties according to use and user
Standard and non-standard English
Varieties according to subject
matter
Varieties according to medium
Varieties according to attitude
Varieties according to interference
Classes of varieties