What is Grammar?

·           Language user’s subconscious internal system

·           Linguists’ attempt to codify or describe that system

·           “Grammar is the business of taking a language to pieces, to see how it works.”
(David Crystal)

·           Grammar is the system of a language. People sometimes describe grammar as the "rules" of a language; but in fact no language has rules. If we use the word "rules", we suggest that somebody created the rules first and then spoke the language, like a new game. But languages did not start like that. Languages started by people making sounds which evolved into words, phrases and sentences. No commonly-spoken language is fixed. All languages change over time. What we call "grammar" is simply a reflection of a language at a particular time.

·           Grammar is the mental system of rules and categories that allows humans to form and interpret the words and sentences of their language.

·           grammar adds meanings that are not easily inferable from the immediate context.

The kinds of meanings realised by grammar are principally:

•          representational - that is, grammar enables us to use language to describe the world in terms of how, when and where things happen

            e.g. The sun set at 7.30. The children are playing in the garden.

•          interpersonal - that is, grammar facilitates the way we interact with other people when, for example, we need to get things done using language.

            e.g. There is a difference between:

            Tickets!

            Tickets, please.

            Can you show me your tickets?

            May see your tickets?

Would you mind if I had a look at your tickets.

Grammar is used to fine-tune the meanings we wish to express.