Linguistics Theory, Foundations, and Modern Development

An Overview of Linguistics and Linguistic Applications

Linguistic Assumptions and Principles

Grammars

Descriptive Grammars

Grammars

Prescriptive Grammars

Internal Grammars

Descriptive Grammars

Descriptive grammars are precisely descriptions of the linguistic processes involved in accessing the knowledge that a user has about a language. It does not tell the user how one should speak or write, but describes the basic linguistic knowledge, explaining how it is possible to speak and understand, and filling in what is known about the sounds, words, phrases, and sentences of the language [Fromkin and Rodman, 13]. When Fromkin and Rodman refer to grammars, and more specifically rules in grammars, they are indicating the natural rules of the language and the rules found in the model of the language (the internal and the descriptive grammars). In descriptive grammars, there is no right or wrong way to speak or to write except as the nature of the language allows. Essentially, all dialects and languages are considered equal in complexity and structure.

Grammars

Prescriptive Grammars

Internal Grammars

Linguistics Index

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