Class 2: An Introduction to Grammar and Grammars: Traditional Grammar

Summary

This video explores traditional grammar, tracing its roots back to Aristotle and emphasizing its descriptive nature over prescriptive. It contrasts with generative grammar by focusing on specific languages' grammars rather than a universal one. Traditional grammar examines intraclausal relationships, like subject-predicate, and interclausal relationships, including coordination and subordination. The video promises to delve into the differences between these concepts in future classes.

Takeaways

• 📚 Traditional grammar is influenced by various schools of grammar and linguistics over the years.
• 👴 It dates back to Aristotle, who was among the first to define the sentence into subject and predicate.
• 🌐 Traditional grammar is descriptive, focusing on what different languages look like, not prescriptive about what should or shouldn't be said.
• 🔍 It is concerned with the description of specific grammars, such as English, Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese, rather than a universal grammar.
• 🔄 Traditional grammarians describe 'intra-clausal' relationships, which are the relationships inside the clause.
• 🔗 It also describes 'inter-clausal' relationships, which are the relationships between clauses.
• 📝 'Intra-clausal' relationships involve functions like subject and predicate that constitute the sentence.
• 🔄 'Inter-clausal' relationships can be either coordination (e.g., 'She arrived and I left') or subordination (e.g., 'She left when I arrived').
• 📈 The script mentions that traditional grammar will be compared with generative grammar in future classes.
• 👍 The speaker encourages viewers to like, subscribe, and share the video to support the channel's growth.

Q & A

What is traditional grammar?

Traditional grammar is a descriptive approach to language that has evolved over the years with influences from various schools of grammar and linguistics. It dates back to Aristotle and focuses on describing the structure of different languages rather than prescribing what should or should not be said.

Who was the first thinker to define the sentence into subject and predicate?

Aristotle was the first thinker to define the sentence into subject and predicate.

What is the primary focus of traditional grammarians?

Traditional grammarians focus on describing the grammar of specific languages, such as English, Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese, rather than a universal grammar.

What is the difference between descriptive and prescriptive grammar?

Descriptive grammar describes the actual usage of language, while prescriptive grammar dictates how language should be used.

What does 'intra-clausal' mean in the context of traditional grammar?

In traditional grammar, 'intra-clausal' refers to the relationships that exist within a clause, such as the relationship between the subject and the predicate.

What functions constitute a sentence according to traditional grammar?

According to traditional grammar, the functions that constitute a sentence include the subject noun phrase and the predicate phrase, where the subject is realized by a category that functions as a head of the subject and the predicate is headed by a verb.

What are the two types of relationships described by traditional grammar?

Traditional grammar describes two types of relationships: coordination and subordination.

Can you provide an example of coordination in a sentence?

An example of coordination is 'She arrived and I left,' where two clauses are joined by the conjunction 'and.'

Can you provide an example of subordination in a sentence?

An example of subordination is 'She left when I arrived,' where one clause is dependent on another.

What is the role of a verb in a sentence according to traditional grammar?

In traditional grammar, a verb typically heads the predicate of a sentence and is essential for the sentence's structure.

What will be discussed in the next class according to the script?

In the next class, the basics of generative grammar will be discussed.