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Creative English Grammar [S-11-11]

Meanings are not in written English words. Words are not containers. Readers must create the intended meanings. In doing this, they activate a kind of grammar—creative English grammar—that has not been described by grammarians. Children develop a version of this kind of grammar by connecting patterns in language with patterns in their experience. Literate adults develop advanced versions through their reading, and these advanced versions are used in every field to create new meanings. That nature of the English language is illustrated not in the description of simple sentences in a grammar textbook, but rather in the meanings that poets and philosophers and scientists create. This course will develop an outline of the basic conceptual structure of these advanced versions by tracing the history of grammatical theory and teaching since Plato’s time.

John Jaunzems is a retired college teacher of English. In his many years of teaching at SLU he looked in vain for an account of English grammar that would help college students to do the kind of creative writing that all their courses ask for.

NOTE: Bring something to write on.