Definitions, Examples, and Discussions of English Grammar

The grammar of a language includes basic axioms such as the existence of tenses of verbs, articles and adjectives and their proper order, how questions are phrased, and much more. Language cannot function without grammar. It would simply make no sense. People require grammar to communicate effectively. Speakers and listeners, authors and their audiences must function in like systems in order to understand one another. In other words, a language without grammar is like a pile of bricks without mortar to hold them together or the masons to build with them. While the basic components are present, they are, for all intents and purposes, useless. Fast Facts: Grammar Word Origin and Definition The word grammar  comes from the Greek, meaning craft of letters. Its an apt description. In any language, grammar is:The systematic study and description of a language (as compared with usage).A set of rules and examples dealing with the syntax and word structures (morphology) of a language.   We Learn Grammar From Birth British linguist, academic and author David Crystal tells us that  grammar  is the study of all the contrasts of meaning that it is possible to make within sentences. The rules of grammar tell us how. By one count, there are some 3,500 such rules in English. Intimidating, to be sure, but native speakers dont have to worry about studying each and every rule. Even if you dont know all the lexicographical terms and pedantic minutiae involved in the study of grammar, take it from noted novelist and essayist Joan Didion: What I know about  grammar  is its infinite power. To shift the structure of a sentence alters the meaning of that sentence. Grammar is actually something all of us begin to learn in our first days and weeks of life, through interaction with others.  From the moment were born, language—and the grammar that makes up that language—is all around us. We start learning it as soon as we hear it spoken around us, even if we dont fully comprehend its meaning yet. Although a baby wouldnt have a clue about the terminology, they do begin to pick up and assimilate how sentences are put together (syntax), as well as figure out the pieces that go into making up those sentences work (morphology). A preschoolers tacit knowledge of  grammar  is more sophisticated than the thickest style manual, explains cognitive psychologist, linguist, and popular science author Steven Pinker. [Grammar should not] be confused with the guidelines for how one ought to speak. Real-World Uses of Grammar Of course, anyone who wants to be an effective speaker or writer must have at least a basic grasp of grammar. The further  beyond the basics you go, the more effectively and clearly youll be able to communicate in almost any situation. There are several applications of grammatical study:(1) A recognition of grammatical structures is often essential for punctuation(2) A study of ones native grammar is helpful when one studies the grammar of a foreign language(3) A knowledge of grammar is a help in the interpretation of literary as well as nonliterary texts, since the interpretation of a passage sometimes depends crucially on grammatical analysis(4) A study of the grammatical resources of English is useful in composition: in particular, it can help you to evaluate the choices available to you when you come to revise an earlier written draft.—From An Introduction to English Grammar by Sidney Greenbaum and Gerald Nelson In a professional setting, having advanced knowledge of grammar can help you interact efficiently and easily with your colleagues, subordinates, and superiors. Whether youre giving directions, getting feedback from your boss, discussing the goals of a particular project, or creating marketing materials—the ability to communicate effectively is extremely important. Types of Grammar Teachers follow a course of  pedagogical grammar  when instructing English language learners. While students mainly have to deal with the nuts-and-bolts of prescriptive,  traditional  grammar (such as making sure verbs and subjects agree and where to put commas in a sentence), linguists focus on the infinitely more complex aspects of language. They study how people acquire language and debate whether every child is born with a concept of universal grammar, and examine everything from how different languages compare to each other (comparative grammar) to the variety of permutations within a single language (descriptive  grammar) to the way in which words and usage interrelate to create meaning (lexicogrammar). More Grammar to Explore Case grammarCognitive grammarConstruction grammarGenerative grammarLexical-functional grammar (LFG)Mental grammarTheoretical grammarTransformational grammar Sources Crystal, David. The Fight for English. Oxford University Press. 2006Pinker, Steven. Words and Rules. Harper. 1999Greenbaum, Sidney; Nelson, Gerald. An Introduction to English Grammar. Second Edition. Pearson. 2002

What Philosophy Means To Me Example

Essays on What Philosophy Means To Me Coursework What Philosophy means to me Speaking of the ment that were the hardest to respond to, one would have to the one about morality. Indeed, this notion is quite a debatable one since there is a considerable number of different ethical approaches that contradict with each other, yet seem quite convincing when analyzed independently (Chaffee, 2013).The above mentioned dilemmas relate to each other in the following way: they provide a person with two completely opposite views on the same problem. For example, the question about free will and determination of the actions allows a person to choose one’s position with regard to this issue. In other words, there is no third option among these ones (Schick Vaugh 2008).The answers that I have given show that I adopted an idealistic approach towards viewing the world, believe in free will as well as God. The way in which I have answers the questions suggest that I have not developed a strong position on morality, but believe in the scienti fic progress.Speaking of branches of Philosophy that these statements relate to, one might note the following: the first two are connected to materialistic or idealistic perception, the next two – free will and determinism, the next two – development of personality; the remaining ones reflect philosophical views on morality and ethics, theology and epistemology (Solomon Higgins, 2014).All the above mentioned areas of philosophy are closely connected to my personal goals for this course as I am willing to learn a lot about the notion that are not quite familiar to me and improve my knowledge of some debatable issues. ReferencesChaffee, J. (2013). The philosophers way: Thinking critically about profound ideas (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.Schick, T., Vaugh, L. (2008). What is your philosophy? In Doing philosophy: An introduction through experiments. New York: McGraw-Hill.Solomon, R. Higgins, K. (2014). The big questions: A short introduction to philosophy (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

Personal Leadership free essay sample

Personal Leadership Profile Few skills are more important to self-improvement than being able to take a step back and honestly evaluate you. Self-reflection allows you to expose problems early, before they become too painful to ignore. Unfortunately, honest self-evaluation is one of the hardest skills to master. People tend to be self-serving in their thoughts. For most people, self-reflection involves looking into a mirror, with all the information warped and distorted until it barely resembles reality. True self-evaluation is challenging, and requires you to be open to â€Å"see† your strengths and weaknesses, and to develop a plan of action to develop those areas that are lacking. Preparedness for the hard truth is required. The truth is something not everyone is prepared to accept. However, without acceptance, personal growth cannot occur. Eight weeks ago, I began a journey of self-evaluation and reflection that would shock the hell out of me. I would come to learn that the view I hold of myself as a leader and business professional, is entirely different from the view others have of me. We will write a custom essay sample on Personal Leadership or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I would also learn that many of the leadership skills I thought I had mastered, I had not even begun to learn. Leadership effectiveness is the ultimate goal of any leader; unfortunately, the facts reveal that as a leader, I was less than effective. Owning a propensity to avoid risk, control issues, task vs. relationship focused, and the tendency to play office politics have allowed a less than productive leadership style to prevail. As I looked at my own reflection of leadership and the many skills I needed to develop, I decided to start with the first three I felt to be most important to my becoming an effective leader; conflict management, feedback, and valuing others. Conflict is inevitable. Management spends up to a third of their time at work managing, handling, and dealing with conflict. Workers waste just as much time as managers on conflict, making it the number one wasteful use of time in most organizations. Keeping that in mind, quick resolution of conflict with all parties leaving the situation feeling their concerns and issues have been addressed in the resolution is the best way to improve morale, productive time, and overall interpersonal relationships within an organization and minimize future conflicts. To resolve conflict, you must understand it first. Conflict is usually the result of two or more values, perspectives, or opinions that are contradictory in nature and have not been aligned or agreed upon yet. Most conflict hampers productivity, lowers morale, causes more and continued conflicts, and supports inappropriate behaviors. The word â€Å"conflict† is often viewed as a negative issue within an organization, but with proper leadership, conflict can help raise and address problems, help people learn how to recognize and benefit from their differences, and cause authentic communication, just to name a few. My objective is to increase my leadership skills in the area of conflict resolution, to see conflict as an opportunity for change and growth, Focus on issues rather than personal positions, and to have the ability to approach all conflict optimistically.