Chapter 7 - Grammar

Question 1

Prescriptive approach

Answer 1

View of grammar as a set of rules for the proper use of English. Critizied, because is it proper to use Latin rules for English? Ex. You must not split an infinitive/ not end a sentence with a preposition/ don’t begin sentence with and. Wrong: Who did you go with? To go boldly.

Question 2

Descriptive approach

Answer 2

Collect samples of a language and attempt to describe regular structures as it was used, not how it should be used. Ex. Structural analysis and constituent analysis.

Question 3

Structural analysis

Answer 3

Descriptive. Investigates the distribution of forms in a language. Uses “test-frames”. If different words fit in same test frame, they are likely to belong to the same grammatical category. For instance, a noun phrase. English basic sentence: NP+V+NP = SVO

Question 4

Constituent analysis

Answer 4

Descriptive. How small constituents go together to form larger constituents in a sentence. And old man = a noun phrase.