Definition

1. Noun:
   • A systematic description of a language's structure as it is actually used by its speakers: "Descriptive grammar" refers to the objective analysis and recording of how a language is spoken and written in real-world contexts, without prescribing rules for "correct" usage. It focuses on patterns, regularities, and variations found in natural language data.

Usage

• "Descriptive grammar" is used as a countable noun, often preceded by articles like "a" or "the." It is a core concept in the field of linguistics, contrasting with "prescriptive grammar."
• It is typically discussed in academic, linguistic, and educational contexts when analyzing language use.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The linguist wrote a detailed descriptive grammar of the regional dialect.
  • Understanding descriptive grammar helps us see how language evolves naturally over time.
  • This book on descriptive grammar documents the various sentence structures used in informal speech.

Advanced Usage

• "to be based on descriptive grammar": having a foundation in the objective analysis of actual language use.

  • The language learning app's approach is based on descriptive grammar, teaching phrases people actually say.

• "principles of descriptive grammar": the fundamental ideas guiding the descriptive analysis of language.

  • The study applied the principles of descriptive grammar to analyze social media posts.

Variants and Related Words

• Descriptive linguistics (n): The broader field of linguistic study that produces descriptive grammars by analyzing language as it is used.

  • Descriptive linguistics seeks to understand language without making value judgments.

• Grammarian (n): A scholar who studies grammar. A descriptive grammarian focuses on how language is used.

• Prescriptive grammar (n): A set of rules defining "correct" or "proper" language use, often based on tradition, which contrasts with descriptive grammar.

Synonyms

• Structural grammar: A grammar that describes the structure of a language.
• Synchronic grammar: A grammar describing a language at a single point in time.

Related Phrases

• Descriptive approach/analysis: A method of studying language that focuses on description rather than prescription.
  • The researcher took a descriptive approach to document the new slang.

Notes

• "Descriptive grammar" is a compound noun where "descriptive" functions as an adjective modifying "grammar." The core term for explanation is the full compound "descriptive grammar." It is treated as a single conceptual unit in linguistic terminology.

Noun

1. a grammar that is produced by descriptive linguistics