What does the 'generative' in the term GT-grammar mean?  My understanding is that it is a mathematical term.  It's one of two different ways to look at a formal object. A structural way of viewing a circle in geometry is that it is an infinite sided regular polygon.  A generative way of looking at the same thing is to say that it is the locus of the points equidistant from a given point.  This is one way to generate, or draw the circle.  This may be the way it came about, but it doesn't have to be.  We can also look at the structural definition and go about drawing (generating) it in the same way.  In fact neither mathematical description tells us really how we can draw it.  It just seems like the generative definition is somehow closer.  Yet looks can be deceiving.  Any comment?

Bruce Despain
Volunteer ESL tudor
Salt Lake City, Utah
[log in to unmask] 

To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at:
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html
and select "Join or leave the list"

Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/