Fallacies Concerning Grammar

1. There are languages that have “no” grammar or “little” grammar. Each language´s grammar is completely adequate.  It is equally operative.

2. Certain types of grammars are simpler and hence more primitive than others.

3. Grammar should be logical and “analogical” (that is regular).

4. About changes in grammar is that they result in deterioration, or, alternatively evolution.  It would be difficult to define what is meant by grammatical “evolution or deterioration”.  There is no doubt that languages change over time, sometimes in quite radical ways, but the changes do not seem to entail an advancement or a loss of any kind; the status quo is maintained.

5. The sentences a person produces directly reflect his or her grammatical knowledge, the distinction between competence and performance.

6. Grammar of the spoken language and grammar of the written language is entirely different. For written tends to be more embedded, for spoken is more fragmented.  Spoken language is also typically more diffluent, with false starts, repetitions, conversational fillers (e.g. um, er, you know).