Distinguishing form from function gets around Craig's call for 
subcategorization of direct objects--that we say there are subclasses of 
direct objects. What we divide into subcategories are the verbs -- I 
believe most modern linguists believe that verbs dictate what can follow 
  (and in some cases precede) them. Keep the number of subcategories in 
the grammar to a minimum.

I share Martha's concern about getting too theoretical for the practical 
needs of teachers on the list. However, I hope that bringing out the 
form/function difference is helpful. As Martha says, it resolves some of 
the problems with traditional grammar teaching, and gives a more 
insightful view of how flexible our grammar is as an expressive tool.

I think Craig worries too much about superficial treatments of grammar. 
A rich theory of semantics & discourse (including pragmatics, or social 
rules for using and interpreting language) incorporates his concerns. 
The problem is that we don't yet have a teaching grammar that is based 
on these concerns as well as the structural ones. It will take time to 
develop it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Johanna Rubba   Associate Professor, Linguistics
English Department, California Polytechnic State University
One Grand Avenue  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
Tel. (805)-756-2184  •  Fax: (805)-756-6374 • Dept. Phone.  756-2596
• E-mail: [log in to unmask] •      Home page: 
http://www.cla.calpoly.edu/~jrubba
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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