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PE2379 ch03.qxd 24/1/02 16:05 Page 231<br />

grammar 2<br />

grammatical<br />

not include the description <strong>of</strong> the sounds <strong>of</strong> a language (see PHONOLOGY,<br />

PHONEMICS).<br />

see also MORPHOLOGY, SEMANTICS, SYNTAX<br />

(in GENERATIVE GRAMMAR) a grammar which describes the speaker’s<br />

knowledge <strong>of</strong> the language. It looks at language in relation to how it may<br />

be structured in the speaker’s mind, and which principles (see UNIVERSAL<br />

GRAMMAR) and PARAMETERS are available to the speaker when producing<br />

the language.<br />

see also UNIVERSAL GRAMMAR, CORE GRAMMAR, I-LANGUAGE<br />

grammar checker n<br />

a program which checks certain grammatical and mechanical aspects <strong>of</strong><br />

writing (see MECHANICS) such as the use <strong>of</strong> passive forms, CONCORD, and<br />

punctuation. Though useful for native speakers, these programs are <strong>of</strong>ten<br />

less beneficial for second language users, due to the bewildering array <strong>of</strong><br />

options they provide.<br />

grammar clusters n<br />

in writing, the co-occurrence <strong>of</strong> certain grammatical forms within a<br />

specific genre (type) <strong>of</strong> writing: for example, chronological transitions, the<br />

use <strong>of</strong> personal pronouns, and specific uses <strong>of</strong> present, past, and pastprogressive<br />

forms <strong>of</strong>ten occur in narrative writing.<br />

Grammar Translation Method n<br />

a method <strong>of</strong> foreign or second language teaching which makes use <strong>of</strong><br />

translation and grammar study as the main teaching and learning activities.<br />

The Grammar Translation Method was the traditional way Latin and<br />

Greek were taught in Europe. In the 19th century it began to be used to<br />

teach “modern” languages such as French, German, and English, and it is<br />

still used in some countries today. A typical lesson consists <strong>of</strong> the presentation<br />

<strong>of</strong> a grammatical rule, a study <strong>of</strong> lists <strong>of</strong> vocabulary, and a translation<br />

exercise. Because the Grammar Translation Method emphasizes<br />

reading rather than the ability to communicate in a language there was a<br />

reaction to it in the 19th century (see NATURAL APPROACH, DIRECT METHOD),<br />

and there was later a greater emphasis on the teaching <strong>of</strong> spoken language.<br />

grammatical 1 adj grammaticality n<br />

a phrase, clause, or sentence which is ACCEPTABLE because it follows the<br />

rules <strong>of</strong> a grammar (see GRAMMAR 1 ), is described as grammatical. For<br />

example, the English sentence:<br />

231

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