Solemne2
Metalanguage
What is it?
Linguistics is a social science that studies language and as an academic discipline
it uses a special terminology known as metalanguage, which is the language used
for talking about language.
-E.g., grammatical terminology (when we talk about grammar we talk about
nouns, verbs, adjectives, and stuff), form, function.
Should we use metalanguage with our
students?
Using methodology helps to simplify the language. Students needs to know
metalanguage because in that way they can understand academic language and have
the chance to be autonomous improving their knowledge by their own.
For example, read the meaning of a word in a dictionary “it is an adjective” and
know how to use it because they know what adjectives means and how use them;
or look on the internet for new words.
Levels of grammar
Grammar operates at three levels:
Suprasentential = above the sentence
Sentential = in the sentence
Subsentential = under the sentence
1.The suprasentential or discourse level It is Functional
Focused on Grammatical Function
2.The sentential or syntactic level It is Structural
Focused on Form/Position of words
3.The subsentential or morphological level It is Semantic
Focused on Meaning of words
, Discourse level The communicate purpose the sentence fulfils for the
speakers in a given context (why /purpose)/when (context)
this sentence is used?)
Sentence level Give John the map!
Morphological Meaning of the words/lexis used
level
Why it is important to teach “the grammar levels” to
students?
It is important because teaching the grammar levels students will know why use
certain sentences and relate them with the context where those sentences can
be used or not.
LANGUAGE GRAMMAR
Language is an open-ended Provides language users
(infinite with not end) with a basis for
organism. We form sentences understanding how a
It is constantly evolving. by following certain language is structured,
It has creative potential. patterns or rules of what the possibilities of
we can produce structural patterning are and what
utterances which we have composition. the constraints are.
never heard before and we Grammar is 'language led'
can understand sentences rather than the other
which we may not have way round.
heard before, because we ItGrammar
reflects the way in
understand the lexis and which language is used
grammar. and can be used.
, Grammatical Unit, Rank & Class
Theoretical constructs which are relevant for syntactic (words’ organization) analysis.
Words
◦Within sentences, some words have a closer relationship to each other than to
other words in the same sentence. For example:
articles go with nouns > the + dog.
adjectives go with nouns > small + dog.
◦Words can be grouped together to form larger units. For example:
◦the small dog
Concepts
1.Unit
Stretch of language of varying lengths and composition (for instance, there can
be two/five/ten words). Units operate in grammatical patterns.
Five formal units: sentence, clause, phrase, word, and morpheme
Sentence >/John has finished his exams; he is planning a trip abroad. /
Clause > /John has finished his exams;/he is planning a trip abroad. /
Phrase > /John/has finished/his exams;/he/is planning/a trip abroad. /
Word > John/has/finished/his/exams;/he/is/planning/a/trip/abroad. /
Morpheme > John-has-finish-ed-his-exam-s; -he-is-plann-ing-a-trip-abroad-. /
Metalanguage
What is it?
Linguistics is a social science that studies language and as an academic discipline
it uses a special terminology known as metalanguage, which is the language used
for talking about language.
-E.g., grammatical terminology (when we talk about grammar we talk about
nouns, verbs, adjectives, and stuff), form, function.
Should we use metalanguage with our
students?
Using methodology helps to simplify the language. Students needs to know
metalanguage because in that way they can understand academic language and have
the chance to be autonomous improving their knowledge by their own.
For example, read the meaning of a word in a dictionary “it is an adjective” and
know how to use it because they know what adjectives means and how use them;
or look on the internet for new words.
Levels of grammar
Grammar operates at three levels:
Suprasentential = above the sentence
Sentential = in the sentence
Subsentential = under the sentence
1.The suprasentential or discourse level It is Functional
Focused on Grammatical Function
2.The sentential or syntactic level It is Structural
Focused on Form/Position of words
3.The subsentential or morphological level It is Semantic
Focused on Meaning of words
, Discourse level The communicate purpose the sentence fulfils for the
speakers in a given context (why /purpose)/when (context)
this sentence is used?)
Sentence level Give John the map!
Morphological Meaning of the words/lexis used
level
Why it is important to teach “the grammar levels” to
students?
It is important because teaching the grammar levels students will know why use
certain sentences and relate them with the context where those sentences can
be used or not.
LANGUAGE GRAMMAR
Language is an open-ended Provides language users
(infinite with not end) with a basis for
organism. We form sentences understanding how a
It is constantly evolving. by following certain language is structured,
It has creative potential. patterns or rules of what the possibilities of
we can produce structural patterning are and what
utterances which we have composition. the constraints are.
never heard before and we Grammar is 'language led'
can understand sentences rather than the other
which we may not have way round.
heard before, because we ItGrammar
reflects the way in
understand the lexis and which language is used
grammar. and can be used.
, Grammatical Unit, Rank & Class
Theoretical constructs which are relevant for syntactic (words’ organization) analysis.
Words
◦Within sentences, some words have a closer relationship to each other than to
other words in the same sentence. For example:
articles go with nouns > the + dog.
adjectives go with nouns > small + dog.
◦Words can be grouped together to form larger units. For example:
◦the small dog
Concepts
1.Unit
Stretch of language of varying lengths and composition (for instance, there can
be two/five/ten words). Units operate in grammatical patterns.
Five formal units: sentence, clause, phrase, word, and morpheme
Sentence >/John has finished his exams; he is planning a trip abroad. /
Clause > /John has finished his exams;/he is planning a trip abroad. /
Phrase > /John/has finished/his exams;/he/is planning/a trip abroad. /
Word > John/has/finished/his/exams;/he/is/planning/a/trip/abroad. /
Morpheme > John-has-finish-ed-his-exam-s; -he-is-plann-ing-a-trip-abroad-. /
