Phil, Again, I agree that the ATEG forum would be the right place to work on a revision and standardization of the grammar metalanguage. I can assume that this is what Ed Vavra would also like to see happen, but how can we make it happen? Eduard On Wed, 26 Jul 2006, Phil Bralich wrote... >>I agree with the statement you make in your article that there is=20 >>great confusion concerning words used to define grammatical terms. I=20 >>have recently reviewed 18 (eighteen) grammar books of different sizes=20 >>and origins, including Quirk=92s =93Comprehensive Grammar of the English= >=20 >>Language,=93 and each one of the uses a different set of terms to=20 >>describe the grammar system of the English language. Standardization=20 >>of grammar terminology would eliminate a lot of confusion and would=20 >>make different grammar books more accessible to teachers and students. > >ATEG would be a good group to do this. =20 > >>I do not have any trouble with the term *gerund* probably because I=20 >>learned this term when I was in grammar (junior high) school, but I=20 >>agree that the term is redundant. As you know, it comes from Latin=20 >>(gerundium), and can be easily abandoned as the term *participle* can=20 >>be used to describe both the verbal and the nominal functions of the=20 >>[-ing] form.=20 > >The only reason I bring it up is because is so often confounding. If the r= >edundant and unnecessary nature of the term is pointed out, it clears stude= >nts heads. A "Ban the Gerund" movement might be eye catching and helpful t= >o put together a list of standardized terminology. How about the "Ban the = >Gerund" ATEG Working Group for the Standardization of Grammar Terminology. = > =20 > >>Someone asked a question about *parts of speech,* a term which seems=20 >>rather counterintuitive for grammar (as grammar deals mainly with=20 >>written language), and I found out that some grammar book authors use=20 >>the term *word classes* to describe the same thing. I believe that=20 >>WORD CLASSES is much better than PARTS OF SPEECH to describe the=20 >>different categories into which we can prototypically categorize the=20 >>lexicon of every language. > >Parts of Speech if fine for me. It recognizes the more primary aspect of l= >anguage as Speech. The ability to analyze all Speech (not just writing) is= > what grammar offers. =20 > > >Phil Bralich > >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/ 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/