TLGA 102: Basic Overview of Grammatical Analysis

It is necessary to know grammar, and it is better to write grammatically than not, but it is well to remember that grammar is common speech formulated. Usage is the only test. 

(William Somerset Maugham, The Summing Up, 1938)

What is Grammar?

- A theory of language

- A theory of competence of a native speaker

- An explicit model of competence

- A finite set of rules

The term grammar is derived from the Greek word grammatike, where gram meant something written. The part tike derives from techne meant art. Hence, grammatike means the art of writing.

Typical grammarian thought.

Grammatical Analysis

- Grammatical Analysis is about rules and meanings.  For example, in grammar, there are certain rules which need to be followed in creating sentence and every rule produces meaning to the sentence.

- According to Halliday A language evolves in response to the specific demands of the society in which it is used.

“the nature of language is closely related to the functions it has to serve” 

“It reflects aspects of the situation in which it occurs” 

- We use language as an instrument of thought or to conceptualize or represent the experiential or real  world to ourselves, including the inner world of our own consciousness. Therefore, another name for clause as representation is clause as experiential construct. 

- Halliday terms this aspect as the ideal function of language.

For more about GA: A complete guide to Systemic Functional Grammar.