1
Q.no.1
Explain the followingtermswithappropriateexamples: (5×4=20)
a. Descriptive Grammar
b. Prescriptive Grammar
c. Generative Grammar
d. Transformational Grammar
e. Universal Grammar
Answer:
a. Descriptive Grammar
The term descriptive grammar refers to an objective, nonjudgmental description of the
grammatical constructions in a language. It's an examination of how a language is being used,
in writing and speech. Linguists who specialize in descriptive grammar examine the principles
and patterns that underlie the use of words, phrases, clauses, and sentences.
"Descriptive grammars do not give advice: They detail how native speakers use their
language. Descriptive grammar is a survey of a language. For any living language, a
descriptive grammar from one century will differ from a descriptive grammar of the
next century because the language will have changed."
—From "An Introduction to Language" by Kirk Hazen
"Descriptive grammar is the basis for dictionaries, which record changes in vocabulary
and usage, and for the field of linguistics, which aims at describing languages and
investigating the nature of language."
—From "Bad Language" by Edwin L. Battistella
, 2
Descriptive grammar is a set of rules about language based on how it is used. In descriptive
grammar, there is no right or wrong language. It can be compared with prescriptive grammar,
which is a set of rules based on how people think language should be used.
Example
A descriptive grammar might include ‘He goes...', meaning ‘He said.
In the classroom
Learners can be encouraged to move away from a prescriptive approach to grammar by using
guided discovery, or inductive approach, in which they look for an example of variations in
use in authentic texts. These examples can be compared to prescriptive rules to decide if they
are useful or not.
Descriptive grammar assumes that the only authority for what existing language is what its
native speakers accept and understand as part of their language. This is how native English
speakers taste, and it has no concrete idea of the way it should be structured. It is not saying
how it should be used; however, it focuses on describing the English language as it is used.
It is also not saying that there is a right or wrong way to use language.
Examples:
English Adjective order: (opinion, size, physical quality, shape, age, color, origin, material,
type, and purpose (e.g., “This is a beautiful, small, green, American island.”)
Some native speakers say:
~ “I am younger than him” instead of “I am younger than he.”
~ “He graduated from an American university” instead of “He graduated from American
university."
~ “I ain't going nowhere.” instead of “I am not going anywhere.”
, 3
The descriptive grammar approach improves non-native speakers’ pronunciation and helps
them sound like native speakers. This approach helps language learners understand the applied
usage of language and communicate better with native speakers. Descriptive grammar is
sometimes not used in formal settings, such as exams and speech.
b. Prescriptive Grammar
It is the traditional approach of grammar that tells people how to use the English language,
what forms they should utilize, and what functions they should serve. Prescriptive grammar
is essential as it helps people use formal English speech and writing. In addition, "those
who follow it (or those who endorse others to follow it) claim that doing so will help to
streamline one's words and make one's prose more elegant" (Tamasi & Antieau, 2015).
Schools aim to teach prescriptive grammar to provide people with a common standard of
usage.
, 4
Examples:
In English, “less” goes with mass nouns (e.g. “less money”), and “fewer” goes with count
nouns (e.g., “fewer items”)
In English, speakers should not split infinitives (e.g., “to boldly go”) instead, write or say
(“to go boldly”)
In English, speakers should not use passive voice (e.g., “The meeting was held by the
university”) instead, write or say (“The university held the meeting”)
In English, speakers should avoid phrasal verbs (e.g., “come over to have some tea”)
instead, write or say (e.g., “visit me to have some tea.”)
Teaching prescriptive grammar creates formal writers and resources.
Teaching prescriptive grammar is beneficial for both non-native teachers and learners,
as it has definite rules of language that help reduce confusion.
Prescriptive grammar might keep non-native speakers wondering and confused when
they talk with a native speaker, as they might realize that some natives do not write
or speak with these rules.
c. Generative Grammar
Generative grammar is a theory of grammar that holds that human language is shaped by a set
of basic principles that are part of the human brain (and even present in the brains of small
children). This "universal grammar," according to linguists like Chomsky, comes from our
innate language faculty. Frank Parker and Kathryn Riley argue that generative grammar is
a kind of unconscious knowledge that allows a person, no matter what language they speak,
to form "correct" sentences. They continue:
“a generative grammar is a theory of competence: a model of the psychological system of
unconscious knowledge that underlies a speaker's ability to produce and interpret utterances
Q.no.1
Explain the followingtermswithappropriateexamples: (5×4=20)
a. Descriptive Grammar
b. Prescriptive Grammar
c. Generative Grammar
d. Transformational Grammar
e. Universal Grammar
Answer:
a. Descriptive Grammar
The term descriptive grammar refers to an objective, nonjudgmental description of the
grammatical constructions in a language. It's an examination of how a language is being used,
in writing and speech. Linguists who specialize in descriptive grammar examine the principles
and patterns that underlie the use of words, phrases, clauses, and sentences.
"Descriptive grammars do not give advice: They detail how native speakers use their
language. Descriptive grammar is a survey of a language. For any living language, a
descriptive grammar from one century will differ from a descriptive grammar of the
next century because the language will have changed."
—From "An Introduction to Language" by Kirk Hazen
"Descriptive grammar is the basis for dictionaries, which record changes in vocabulary
and usage, and for the field of linguistics, which aims at describing languages and
investigating the nature of language."
—From "Bad Language" by Edwin L. Battistella
, 2
Descriptive grammar is a set of rules about language based on how it is used. In descriptive
grammar, there is no right or wrong language. It can be compared with prescriptive grammar,
which is a set of rules based on how people think language should be used.
Example
A descriptive grammar might include ‘He goes...', meaning ‘He said.
In the classroom
Learners can be encouraged to move away from a prescriptive approach to grammar by using
guided discovery, or inductive approach, in which they look for an example of variations in
use in authentic texts. These examples can be compared to prescriptive rules to decide if they
are useful or not.
Descriptive grammar assumes that the only authority for what existing language is what its
native speakers accept and understand as part of their language. This is how native English
speakers taste, and it has no concrete idea of the way it should be structured. It is not saying
how it should be used; however, it focuses on describing the English language as it is used.
It is also not saying that there is a right or wrong way to use language.
Examples:
English Adjective order: (opinion, size, physical quality, shape, age, color, origin, material,
type, and purpose (e.g., “This is a beautiful, small, green, American island.”)
Some native speakers say:
~ “I am younger than him” instead of “I am younger than he.”
~ “He graduated from an American university” instead of “He graduated from American
university."
~ “I ain't going nowhere.” instead of “I am not going anywhere.”
, 3
The descriptive grammar approach improves non-native speakers’ pronunciation and helps
them sound like native speakers. This approach helps language learners understand the applied
usage of language and communicate better with native speakers. Descriptive grammar is
sometimes not used in formal settings, such as exams and speech.
b. Prescriptive Grammar
It is the traditional approach of grammar that tells people how to use the English language,
what forms they should utilize, and what functions they should serve. Prescriptive grammar
is essential as it helps people use formal English speech and writing. In addition, "those
who follow it (or those who endorse others to follow it) claim that doing so will help to
streamline one's words and make one's prose more elegant" (Tamasi & Antieau, 2015).
Schools aim to teach prescriptive grammar to provide people with a common standard of
usage.
, 4
Examples:
In English, “less” goes with mass nouns (e.g. “less money”), and “fewer” goes with count
nouns (e.g., “fewer items”)
In English, speakers should not split infinitives (e.g., “to boldly go”) instead, write or say
(“to go boldly”)
In English, speakers should not use passive voice (e.g., “The meeting was held by the
university”) instead, write or say (“The university held the meeting”)
In English, speakers should avoid phrasal verbs (e.g., “come over to have some tea”)
instead, write or say (e.g., “visit me to have some tea.”)
Teaching prescriptive grammar creates formal writers and resources.
Teaching prescriptive grammar is beneficial for both non-native teachers and learners,
as it has definite rules of language that help reduce confusion.
Prescriptive grammar might keep non-native speakers wondering and confused when
they talk with a native speaker, as they might realize that some natives do not write
or speak with these rules.
c. Generative Grammar
Generative grammar is a theory of grammar that holds that human language is shaped by a set
of basic principles that are part of the human brain (and even present in the brains of small
children). This "universal grammar," according to linguists like Chomsky, comes from our
innate language faculty. Frank Parker and Kathryn Riley argue that generative grammar is
a kind of unconscious knowledge that allows a person, no matter what language they speak,
to form "correct" sentences. They continue:
“a generative grammar is a theory of competence: a model of the psychological system of
unconscious knowledge that underlies a speaker's ability to produce and interpret utterances
