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What is the difference between grammar and language?

grammar | language |

As nouns the difference between grammar and language

is that grammar is a system of rules and principles for speaking and writing a language while language is a body of words, and set of methods of combining them (called a grammar), understood by a community and used as a form of communication.

As verbs the difference between grammar and language

is that grammar is to discourse according to the rules of grammar; to use grammar while language is to communicate by language; to express in language.

grammar

English

Alternative forms

* grammary

Noun

  • A system of rules and principles for speaking and writing a language.
  • (uncountable, linguistics) The study of the internal structure of words (morphology) and the use of words in the construction of phrases and sentences (syntax).
  • A book describing the rules of grammar of a language.
  • (computing theory) A formal system specifying the syntax of a language.
  • * 2006 , Patrick Blackburn · Johan Bos · Kristina Striegnitz, Learn Prolog Now! , §8.2
  • Because real lexicons are big and complex, from a software engineering perspective it is best to write simple grammars that have a simple, well-defined way, of pulling out the information they need from vast lexicons. That is, grammars should be thought of as separate entities which can access the information contained in lexicons. We can then use specialised mechanisms for efficiently storing the lexicon and retrieving data from it.
  • (computing theory) A formal system defining a formal language
  • The basic rules or principles of a field of knowledge or a particular skill.
  • * 2011 , (Javier Solana) and (Daniel Innerarity), Project Syndicate, The New Grammar of Power :
  • We must learn a new grammar of power in a world that is made up more of the common good – or the common bad – than of self-interest or national interest.
  • (British, archaic) A textbook.
  • a grammar of geography
  • (UK) A grammar school.
  • * 2012, Graeme Paton, A green light for more grammars ?'' (in ''The Daily Telegraph , 11 January 2012)
  • Synonyms

    * (linguistics) morpho-syntax (from the relationship between morphology and syntax)

    Hyponyms

    * * *

    Derived terms

    * * *

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To discourse according to the rules of grammar; to use grammar.
  • (Beaumont and Fletcher)

    See also

    * (wikipedia) * *

    language

    English

    Etymology 1

    (etyl) language, from (etyl) language, from .

    Noun

    {{examples-right, The English Wiktionary uses the English language' to define words from all of the world's ' languages .


    This person is saying "hello" in American sign language . }} (wikipedia language)
  • (lb) A body of words, and set of methods of combining them (called a grammar), understood by a community and used as a form of communication.
  • * 1867', ''Report on the Systems of Deaf-Mute Instruction pursued in Europe'', quoted in '''1983 in ''History of the College for the Deaf, 1857-1907 (ISBN 0913580856), page 240:
  • Hence the natural language' of the mute is, in schools of this class, suppressed as soon and as far as possible, and its existence as a ' language , capable of being made the reliable and precise vehicle for the widest range of thought, is ignored.
  • * {{quote-book, page=50, year=1900, author=(w)
  • , title= The History of the Caliph Vathek , passage=No language could express his rage and despair.}}
  • * 2000 , Geary Hobson, The Last of the Ofos (ISBN 0816519595), page 113:
  • Mr. Darko, generally acknowledged to be the last surviving member of the Ofo Tribe, was also the last remaining speaker of the tribe's language .
  • (lb) The ability to communicate using words.
  • (lb) The vocabulary and usage of a particular specialist field.
  • *
  • Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language , he expressed the important words by an initial, a medial, or a final consonant, and made scratches for all the words between; his clerks, however, understood him very well.
  • The expression of thought (the communication of meaning) in a specified way.
  • * 2001 , Eugene C. Kennedy, ?Sara C. Charles, On Becoming a Counselor (ISBN 0824519132):
  • A tale about themselves [is] told by people with help from the universal languages of their eyes, their hands, and even their shirting feet.
  • A body of sounds, signs and signals by which animals communicate, and by which plants are sometimes also thought to communicate.
  • A computer language; a machine language.
  • * 2015 , Kent D. Lee, Foundations of Programming Languages (ISBN 3319133144), page 94:
  • In fact pointers are called references in these languages' to distinguish them from pointers in ' languages like C and C++.
  • (lb) Manner of expression.
  • * (rfdate) Cowper:
  • Their language simple, as their manners meek,
  • (lb) The particular words used in a speech or a passage of text.
  • (lb) Profanity.
  • *{{quote-book, page=500, year=1978, author=James Carroll
  • , title= Mortal Friends, isbn=0440157897 , passage="Where the hell is Horace?" ¶ "There he is. He's coming. You shouldn't use language ."}}
    Synonyms
    * (form of communication) tongue, speech (spoken language) * (vocabulary of a particular field) lingo (colloquial), jargon, terminology, phraseology, parlance * (computer language) computer language, programming language, machine language * (particular words used) phrasing, wording, terminology
    Derived terms
    * artificial language * auxiliary language * bad language * body language * computing language * constructed language * endangered language * extinct language * foreign language * formal language * foul language * international language * language barrier * language code * language cop * language death * language extinction * language family * language lab, language laboratory * language model * language of flowers * language planning * language police * language pollution * language processing * language school * language shift * language technology * language transfer * languaging * machine language * mathematical language * mind one's language * natural language * pattern language * programming language * private language * secular language * sign language * speak someone's language * standard language * vehicular language * vernacular language

    Verb

  • To communicate by language; to express in language.
  • * (rfdate) Fuller:
  • Others were languaged in such doubtful expressions that they have a double sense.

    See also

    * lexis, term, word * bilingual * linguistics * multilingual * trilingual

    Etymology 2

    Alteration of (m).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A languet, a flat plate in or below the flue pipe of an organ.
  • * 1896 , William Horatio Clarke, The Organist's Retrospect , page 79:
  • A flue-pipe is one in which the air passes through the throat, or flue, which is the narrow, longitudinal aperture between the lower lip and the tongue, or language'.

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