Discovering English Grammar

Question

Dear All:

I'm a new member in this forum. Lately, I really enjoy learning english grammar. I don't know where I got this idea, but apparently after I read "Discovering English Grammar" by Richard Veit. If you have read this book, I will glad to hear your's opinion whether you like or dislike it, and I will be happy, if you like share another books about grammar that you think interesting.

Thx

Upa

Aileen · Accepted Answer

Hi, I’ve kept a list of some of the books that folks have mentioned here on English forums.

1.
“I highly recommend a book called "The Language Instinct" by Steven Pinker. Perhaps you've already heard of it.

2.
“This analysis is from a new book: "The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language" by Rodney Huddleston and Geoffrey K. Pullum.

3.
This book takes a different position from traditional authorities such as Quirk, et
al on certain fundamental grammar concepts.

Maybe meet me in the English Forums section called

General English grammar questions (EFL / ESL)

I’ll introduce you to the guys and gals who know more about grammar than me.

Upasara · Answer

Hi Aileen:

Thx very much. I browsed in our library yesterday, apparently, "The Language Instinct" is available only in Japanese language, but I found another book from the same author. I couldn't find the rest books you mentioned.

Thx also for your suggestion about General English Grammar Questions (EFL/ESL). I read around there, and I found many interesting topics. For this moment, I dont have spesific question concerning grammar.

Well, I'm a research scientist in engineering and I find, learning grammar and composition are so interesting. I feel relax while learning them.

One more thing, i'm reading and learning book ``Writing The Natural Way''. You know, although English is not my native language, but I have a dream that one day I should able to compose in English, because of a quite funny reason. You know why? After several years I left my country, I couldn't speak and write in my native language correctly.

So, I think, I really need to learn English. At least, I know a language and hopefully, I can use it correctly. Talk to you later.

Upa

Guest · Answer

I’d be very interested to hread what people think about this book. A quick search on the Internet showed me that this book is recommended for advanced courses in English language, also, it’s an expensive book – roughly twice the price of other books I was browsing today. Apparently, it’s very popular and respected.

Review From the Back Cover

Understanding the structure of language is the key to better communication, but for many people, the boring basics of grammar seem tedious and unbearable. But in Veit's unique fashion of introducing grammar as a process of discovery, the author takes his readers on an inductive search for the structure of language. Taking a transformational approach to grammar, this book provides broad, thorough coverage of English grammatical structures. offering a current, enjoyable approach to language learning and communication.

By minimizing technical terms, Veit invites those with no prior training in syntax to explore the whole range of English constructions, from simpler to more complex topics, allowing readers to inductively discover the structure of the English language for themselves. Second-language learners, linguists, English and ESL educators.

Zz · Answer

Sometimes I use graph paper just to map things out clearly. It’s very useful.

Writing the Natural Way: Using Right Brain Techniques to Release Your Expressive Powers
by
Gabriele Lusser Rico

A quick review from the Internet

Writing the Natural Way centers on clustering, a technique for quickly making explicit the ideas and associations we have about a topic: To create a cluster, you begin with a nucleus word, circled, on a fresh page. Now you simply let go and begin to flow with any current of connections that come into your head. Write these down rapidly, each in its own circle, radiating outward from the center in any direction they want to go. Connect each new word or phrase with a line to the preceding circle. When something new and different strikes you, begin again at the central nucleus and radiate outward until those associations are exhausted. Clustering, like freewriting or writing practice, is another technique I use frequently to move ideas out of my head and onto paper. Often I will "cluster" about a topic, then freewrite based on the cluster I've created.

Aileen · Answer

Hi Upa, I lost you! We’ve moved this topic to a new home. Never mind. I’ve noticed that the elves have already been busy with comments – hope they’re good.

Would you mind if I ask about the background of your name? I searched, because I’m interested in the history of baby names. I found an Indian Upa and something a little harder to pin down. Does this make any sense to you?

… Possibly from the Sanskrit Upa-Ghana-Stan, "land of the allied tribes"

Anyway, I’d love to hear what your reply might be about this. OK, chat later maybe?

...

Upasara · Answer

Honestly, my name is not Upasara Wulung. I rarely use my real name online, because present technology of search engine scared me. They can locate us easily.

Here is my story. I'm an Indonesian. When I was kid, a novel of Musashi was translated to Indonesia language. Many people like that book. Hope you read it. I have one, and I can send you if you like. Free of charge.

Not long after that an Indonesia writer published a book similar to Musashi. He just changed the setting and introduced a new hero, a local hero who understood local culture and so on. The novel title is Senopati Pamungkas that has several meanings. Senopati is a degree or level in military long ago. Pamungkas means the last, or top one, nothing greater than Pamungkas. Pamungkas could mean the solver. So Senopati Pamungkas means a warrior (not a low rank soldier) who can solve everything or could mean the last warrior, or the greatest warrior. In Indonesia radio station, I have heard the DJ said "Tembang Pamungkas" which means the top 1 song. Hope you understand what Pamungkas means.

Upasara Wulung is not an Indonesia language, it is a javanese. Javanese is a major clan in Indonesia. In that story Upasara Wulung was selected as the Senopati Pamungkas. I like the story till now. He didn't know his father amd mother, and was selected and trained in a specific martial art school. The school was designed to produce the finest warrior that can bring the name of the kingdom to all places in this planet. I read this story long long ago. What I'm telling you may be inaccurate. Btw, the book just reprinted. In that book, if I remember correctly, Wulung means a kind of hawk or an eagle. The root of Upasara is upa, which could mean a bit of rice. In that story, Upasara like to introduce himself as Upa or I'm just a bit of rice, but should readed as i'm nothing. Rice is the main food there, so a bit of rice worths nothing.

Btw, i prefer email than chatting. You know, working person.

Upa

Upasara · Answer

Yes, you are right. I think the key is two, first to use the right hemisphere of brain for the brainstorming. Using a graph on a paper will be a great tool. The second key is to use the left hemisphere of brain to rearrange those ideas into a coherent composition.

And you know, this idea can be applied not only in a story composition, but also in writing a technical paper.

Upa

Upasara · Answer

About the book Discovering English Grammar. Pedagogically, this book is great. The book pressumed that everybody have already know the grammar subconsiously. Using a few examples, we can find the pattern of the sentences, and then we can derive the governing rule and corvert that knowledge to our conscious mind. Just like we invent the grammar by ourselves.

Upa

Upasara · Answer

Hi Aileen,

I remember one thing just now. About your interest in baby names. In Indonesia, one popular name is Satya Adhi Wicaksana. It is from the Sankrit. The history of Indonesia is strongly connected to the Sankrit.

Satya means loyal, Adhi means super power, and Wicaksana means wise.

Satya Adhi Wicaksana becomes the slogan of Indonesia Justice department if I'm not mistaken. Although, they are a bit far from their slogan.

Could you tell me whether Satya Adhi Wicaksana sounds good or bad in your tongue?

Upa-

Aileen · Answer

Hey upa So sorry for the delay.

Satya Adhi Wicaksana are some baby names for my consideration. Hmm. I’m not sure. They are unfamiliar to me. I like the musical qualities suggested by Wicaksana maybe because it sounds a little like a Russian girl baby name, Oksana.

I checked for information about Musashi This is what I found
Toshirô Mifune defines the quintessential samurai in Hiroshi Inagaki's 1954 Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto, the first feature in a trilogy based on the epic novel by Eiji Yoshikawa. As in Kurosawa's classic Seven Samurai, which appeared the same year, Mifune plays a brash and ambitious peasant who desires fame and power as a swordsman. His dreams of glory in war sour when his army is routed and he becomes hunted by the authorities, but the "tough love" attentions of a kindly but severe monk help him develop from a hot-tempered outlaw to a thoughtful swordsman. Inagaki's somber color epic is very different from the energetic action of Kurosawa's films. The sword fights and battles are practically theatrical in their presentation, staged in long takes that emphasize form and movement over flash and flamboyance. Mifune brings a sad, almost tragic quality to the samurai warrior Musashi Miyamoto, whose dedication proscribes him to a lonely life on the road. Though the film stands well on its own, its stature takes on greater significance as the first act of Inagaki's stately, contemplative epic of the professional and spiritual development of Musashi, whose training and adventures continue in Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple.

I’ve seen Seven Samurai and of course I watched re-runs of Kung-Fu starring David Carradine (which seems to be based partly on the character of Musashi Miyamoto).

Also, Upa, I do thank you for the offer of the text for the original novel (the epic). I want to find the 1954 film representations on DVD because film interests me more than literature. Thank you for a generous offer. Best wishes. How is your grammar study going?I studied various styles of grammar at school and college. Descriptive grammar is represented by the Quirk and Cambridge studies whereas functional grammars are represented by halliday etc. anyway, grammar isn’t my strongest suit and I’m glad to be finished with it!!!

Discovering English Grammar

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