LINGUIST List 7.112

Thu Jan 25 1996

Qs: "Dogmatism", Lists,Prescriptive & Descriptive Grammar

Editor for this issue: Annemarie Valdez <avaldezemunix.emich.edu>

Directory

1. Jussi Karlgren, "dogmatism"
2. "Ingo Plag", query on Lists
3. Deborah D K Ruuskanen, Re: Query: Prescriptive and Descriptive Grammar Courses

Dear All,

I came across a passing reference to a study by Suitbert Ertel, who
apparently has analyzed and graded texts for "dogmatism" based on surface
cues - persuasive expressions, etcetera - in sentences. No published
reference is given in the text I have, and a search for Suitbert Ertel on
the web gives the no useful results.

Does anyone have more information?

J

Jussi Karlgren karlgrencs.nyu.edu
Visiting Researcher, Computer Science 715 Bwy # 704, NYU, NYC
vox: (212) 998-3496 fax: (212) 995-4123 URL: http://sics.se/~jussi

Query: Literature lists

Our department is seeking applications for a professorship in English
literature. We would like to distribute the job offer world-wide on
the relevant lists, but we do not have the addresses. Does anyone have any
suggestions where to post it?

Thank you very much in advance.

Ingo Plag

Universitaet Marburg, plagmailer.uni-marburg.de


 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dr. Ingo Plag
Institut fuer Anglistik und Amerikanistik
Philipps-Universitaet Marburg
Wilhelm-Roepke-Str. 6 D
D-35032 Marburg
Germany

Tel: 06421-285560
Fax: 06421-287020
e-mail: plagmailer.uni-marburg.de

Prescriptive and Descriptive Grammar Courses

We are trying to set up our syllabus for next year and have come to an
impasse on the question of "English grammar". Without prejudicing you
by giving you my views (except to say that I have been told in all
seriousness that a native speaker of English should not teach English
grammar because she does not know the difficulties the students have
with analysing grammar that is different from that of their native
language), I would like to know what the status of grammar is in
Departments of English offering BA and MA degrees in English, both in
countries where English is the native language and where English is a
foreign language. I would also like to know what grammar courses are
taught in foreign language departments in general, i.e. what approach is
used in the Russian Department for teaching Russian grammar if there is
a separate course for this, German, French, etc.
Specifically I would like to know:
1. Is there a separate course for grammar?
2. What approach/textbook do you use?
3. Are there courses for both prescriptive (normative) grammar AND
descriptive grammar? If only one approach is used, why is the other one
not taught?
4. What are the main aims / purposes of teaching grammar?
5. If there is no separate course for grammar, do you not teach it at
all? If it IS taught, in what context is this instruction given?
Finally, if you department is a foreign language department, what is the
background in that language of students who are studying it as a
language? (e.g. our students study English for ten years at
comprehensive and secondary school, and most spend a year in an English
speaking country before beginning their university studies.

I need this information fairly soon as we must make a choice by 15
February so that it can be printed in our student study guide. A
summary will be posted on Linguist if there is enough interest.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH in advance, your input will be GREATLY appreciated.
Cheers, 
	kela (Deborah D. Kela Ruuskanen)
- 
Deborah D. Kela Ruuskanen \ You cannot teach a Man anything,
Leankuja 1, FIN-01420 Vantaa \ you can only help him find it
druuskancc.helsinki.fi \ within himself. Galileo