To teach or not to teach grammar: is this question still pertinent?
Abstract
In this article, the author revisits the history of grammar in the Greco-Roman tradition from its origins to its introduction in the study of modern languages. Particular attention is given to the historical change that affected the role of grammar in language education. In Rome, grammar had a living language as a reference and its teaching was subsidiary to the development of speaking and writing skills. In the Middle Ages, however, grammar had as a reference a dead language (classical Latin as artificially constructed by the scholars) and, as a consequence, it played a central role in language education. At the end, the author proposes a renovation in the teaching of grammar which should take the real standard language as a reference and subordinate grammatical issues to the development of speaking and writing skills.
Key words: history of grammar, teaching of grammar, standard language.Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
I grant the journal Calidoscópio the first publication of my article, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution license (which allows sharing of work, recognition of authorship and initial publication in this journal).
I confirm that my article is not being submitted to another publication and has not been published in its entirely on another journal. I take full responsibility for its originality and I will also claim responsibility for charges from claims by third parties concerning the authorship of the article.
I also agree that the manuscript will be submitted according to the journal’s publication rules described above.
