LANGUAGE DESCRIPTIONSLANGUAGE DESCRIPTIONS

LANGUAGE DESCRIPTIONSLANGUAGE DESCRIPTIONS

CLASSICAL/TRADITIONAL GRAMMARCLASSICAL/TRADITIONAL GRAMMAR STRUCTURAL LINGUISTICSSTRUCTURAL LINGUISTICS TRANSFORMATIONAL GRAMMARTRANSFORMATIONAL GRAMMAR LANGUAGE VARIATIONS & REGISTER LANGUAGE VARIATIONS & REGISTER

ANALYSISANALYSIS FUNCTIONAL/NOTIONAL SYLLABUSFUNCTIONAL/NOTIONAL SYLLABUS DISCOURSE/RHETORICAL ANALYSISDISCOURSE/RHETORICAL ANALYSIS

1. CLASSICAL/TRADITIONAL 1. CLASSICAL/TRADITIONAL GRAMMARGRAMMAR

Description of English and other languages Description of English and other languages were based on the grammars of the classical were based on the grammars of the classical languages: Greek and latin.languages: Greek and latin.

This description were based on an analysis of This description were based on an analysis of the role played by each word in the sentence.the role played by each word in the sentence.

Languages were described in this way Languages were described in this way because the classical L were case-based L because the classical L were case-based L where the grammatical function of each word where the grammatical function of each word in the sentence was made apparent by the in the sentence was made apparent by the use of appropriate inflectionsuse of appropriate inflections

Continued............Continued............

Thus, the form of a word would Thus, the form of a word would change according to whether it change according to whether it was a subject, object, indirect was a subject, object, indirect object, and so on.object, and so on.

The influence of classical Grammar The influence of classical Grammar has never been STRONG.has never been STRONG.

2. Structural Linguistics2. Structural Linguistics

The structural or “Slot” and “filler” form L The structural or “Slot” and “filler” form L description will be familiar to most L teachers description will be familiar to most L teachers as result of the enormous influence it has had as result of the enormous influence it has had on L teaching since the second world war.on L teaching since the second world war.

In a structural description, the grammar of L In a structural description, the grammar of L is described in terms of SYNTAGMATICS is described in terms of SYNTAGMATICS structures which carry the fundamental structures which carry the fundamental propositions (Statement, interrogative, propositions (Statement, interrogative, negative, imperative) and notions (Time, negative, imperative) and notions (Time, number, gender etc)number, gender etc)

3. Transformational Generative 3. Transformational Generative GrammarGrammar

Chomsky argued in “Syntactic Structure” that Chomsky argued in “Syntactic Structure” that structural description was superficial because it structural description was superficial because it only described the surface structure of the L only described the surface structure of the L and thus could not explain relationship of and thus could not explain relationship of meaning which were quite clearly there. But meaning which were quite clearly there. But which were not realized in the surface structure.which were not realized in the surface structure.

In the early stages of its Development, ESP put In the early stages of its Development, ESP put most emphasis on describing the performance most emphasis on describing the performance needed for communication in the target needed for communication in the target situation and paid little attention to the situation and paid little attention to the Competence underlying itCompetence underlying it

4. Language Variation & 4. Language Variation & Register AnalysisRegister Analysis

The concept of L variation gave rise The concept of L variation gave rise to the type of ESP which was based to the type of ESP which was based on register analysis. If L varies on register analysis. If L varies according to text, it was argued, then according to text, it was argued, then it should be possible to identify the it should be possible to identify the kind of L associated with a specific kind of L associated with a specific context such as an area of context such as an area of knowledge (Legal Eng, Social Eng, knowledge (Legal Eng, Social Eng, Medical Eng, Business Eng)Medical Eng, Business Eng)

5. Functional/notional 5. Functional/notional GrammarGrammar

Function are concerned with social Function are concerned with social behavior and represent the behavior and represent the intention of the speaker/writer e.g. intention of the speaker/writer e.g. Advising, warning, threatening, Advising, warning, threatening, describingdescribing

Function = Structure + contextFunction = Structure + context Notion reflects the ways in which Notion reflects the ways in which

the human being mind thinks.the human being mind thinks.

6. Discourse Analysis6. Discourse Analysis

It emphasize on how meaning is generated It emphasize on how meaning is generated between sentencesbetween sentences

The context is important in creating meaningThe context is important in creating meaning The change of meaning is influenced by The change of meaning is influenced by

Sociolinguistic context: Who is speaking to Sociolinguistic context: Who is speaking to whom and why.whom and why. The meaning changes The meaning changes according to the relationship between according to the relationship between the participants in the dialogue and the participants in the dialogue and according to their reason for speakingaccording to their reason for speaking