Do you know what Grammar is and what it is for?
As defined by the Aurélio Dictionary, grammar is the study or treatise of the facts of language, spoken and written, and the natural laws that regulate it.. In addition to presenting rules, grammar also plays the role of analyzing the structures that the speaker of a language has programmed in his memory and that allow him to use his language. Furthermore, grammar also has the function of describing the system of a language.
As it is a treatise that presents the regulatory norms of the language, many people have a mistaken view about the function of grammar. Although it determines the conditions of use of the language, especially the use in the written modality, grammar is not a discipline that seeks to establish "right" and "wrong" in discursive practices, as such a view would only encompass the analysis of the cultured norm of tongue. It is essential to consider that language is not just a bunch of rules that must be followed to the letter by the speakers, individuals formed by idiosyncrasies that do not allow any kind of standardization behavioral.
We know that language is a dynamic element, an important tool for communication that must always be available to speakers and, therefore, disregard the numerous linguistic variations would only corroborate linguistic prejudice, a behavior that excludes the importance of social and cultural factors for the formation of a tongue. In view of these issues, now know the peculiarities that make up the different types of grammar:
Normative grammar: sets the standards for speaking and writing correctly. It only considers the exemplary language, that is, the form chosen among the various forms of speaking that constitute the historical language;
Descriptive grammar: it is concerned with describing the facts of language, emphasizing linguistic variations, not just establishing what is right or wrong;
Historical grammar: aims to study the origin and historical evolution of a language. These are diachronic language studies;
Comparative grammar: aims to establish correspondences between different languages in order to establish their kinship relationships.
In the texts below, you will find several articles that address the different approaches to grammar, a branch of linguistics that is essential for the study of language. Enjoy your reading and good studies!
By Luana Castro
Graduated in Letters