What is Grammar?
 Grammar is the system of a language.
People sometimes describe grammar as the "rules" of a language; but in fact no
language has rules*. If we use the word "rules", we suggest that somebody
created the rules first and then spoke the language, like a new game. But
languages did not start like that. Languages started by people making sounds
which evolved into words, phrases and sentences. No commonly-spoken language is
fixed. All languages change over time. What we call "grammar" is simply a
reflection of a language at a particular time.
Do we need to study grammar to learn a language? The short answer
is "no". Very many people in the world speak their own, native language without
having studied its grammar. Children start to speak before they even know the
word "grammar". But if you are serious about learning a foreign language, the
long answer is "yes, grammar can help you to learn a language more quickly and
more efficiently." It's important to think of grammar as something that can
help you, like a friend. When you understand the grammar (or system) of a
language, you can understand many things yourself, without having to ask a
teacher or look in a book.
So think of grammar as something good, something positive,
something that you can use to find your way - like a signpost or a map.
* Except invented languages like Esperanto. And if Esperanto were
widely spoken, its rules would soon be very different. |
