Preface Author's Introduction SECTION I Survey 1 What is grammar? What is grammar for? Language without grammar Problems Solving the problems 2 From simplicity to complexity: word classes and structures Word classes Code and message: from words to phrases Clauses Subjects and objects Mood Analysing phrases and clauses Clauses inside clauses The units of language 3 Grammar In the world's languages Word classes Structural types Morphological complexity Agreement Meanings Why is everything so complicated ? 4 Grammar and vocabulary How different are grammar and vocabulary? The grammar of words On the frontier Language in use: chunking A continuum 5 Grammar In spoken and written text Speech and writing Building phrases, clauses, and utterances Reference and context 'Given' and 'new': information flow and topic-maintenance Text structuring Face Formal and informal language Special kinds of text 6 Grammar and language change 1,ooo years of change in English Mechanisms of change Analogy Phonetic erosion Grammaticalization Speed of change How did it all start? 7 Grammar in society: 'correctness' and standardization Language under attack What do we mean by 'incorrect'? Mistakes Variation Dialect forms Alternative usage Authorities: descriptive and prescriptive rules Problems with prescriptive rules Ripples on the ocean The desire for standardization The price of standardization 8 Grammar In the head Investigating language From outside to inside Learnability and universal grammar Problems with the innatist view Usage-based associative learning Modularity: grammar in the brain SECTION 2 Readings SECTION 3 References SECTION 4 Glossary ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
