Descriptive, Generative, and Systemic Functional Grammar

Modern Descriptive Grammar

Descriptive grammar describes language as it is, not as it should be. It is based on a massive corpus of real English, both spoken and written, and it considers many structures that traditional grammar either ignored completely (e.g., determiners and verb complementation) or discussed only briefly (e.g., aspect and adverbial clauses). The first generation of descriptive grammars may be said to be the work of 'armchair grammarians', while only the current generation is corpus-based. Descriptive grammar, like other kinds of grammar, relies on structural analysis. It looks at syntax on many levels: morpheme, word, phrase, clause, sentence, and text.

Generative Grammar

Chomsky (1965) views language as an innate ability that is unique to the human species. He initiated a linguistic revolution, aiming to unlock the secrets of language, and established a link between language and mind. Chomsky has, over the years, tried to come up with a new kind of grammar, a 'mental grammar' that would have not only descriptive adequacy but also explanatory adequacy. Chomsky (1995; 2002, pp. 94-5) rejects the whole notion of rule systems and constructions such as VP and relative clause, in favor of more abstract 'Principles and Parameters'. It may be best to see Chomsky as providing the mentalist rationale for grammar teaching, just as Halliday may be seen as providing the social rationale.

Systemic Functional Grammar

While Chomsky approaches grammar from a mentalist perspective, Halliday (1994) approaches it from a social perspective. Chomsky is interested mainly in linguistic competence, whereas Halliday is mainly interested in pragmatic competence, i.e., knowing how to use language appropriately in order to achieve certain communicative goals or intentions. Whereas Chomsky is a minimalist, Halliday is a 'maximalist'. The basic claim of Hallidayan Systemic Functional (SF) grammar is that every use (or function) of English determines the form of the language that is used for that particular purpose. Grammar is thus a tool for making meaning.