This text integrates traditional, structural, and functional concepts with ideas from contemporary linguistics and grammatical study. Rather than simply partition the study of grammar from the bottom up, Rodby and Winterowd employ a unique structure based on the differentiation of form and function.
In this second edition of THE USES OF GRAMMAR, Judith Rodby and W. Ross Winterowd develop their successful first edition with new examples, more discussion questions and exercises, and clear explanations of the grammatical principles that teach students to understand grammar conceptually and deeply. The first edition has been completely redesigned visually to enhance learning and retention. Rodby and Winterowd's THE USES OF GRAMMAR 2E is an accessible approach grounded in deep understanding of language acquisition, structure, and even the rhetoric of everyday use. THE USES OF GRAMMAR 2E integrates traditional, structural, and functional concepts with ideas from contemporary linguistics and grammatical study. Rather than simply partition the study of grammar from the bottom up-from the parts to the whole-Rodby and Winterowd employ a unique structure based on the differentiation of FORM and FUNCTION. This structure is framed around three questions: What are the forms in the grammar of American English? How do those forms function in that grammar? How are they used in real-life speaking and writing to achieve specific purposes? Students may learn, for example, how a variety of FORMS (including nouns, pronouns, verbals, and clauses) can all FUNCTION as nominals. This form/function approach ensures that students learn the uses of grammar as both an object of study and as the living text of social interaction. - THE USES OF GRAMMAR thus uses living language to illustrate the practical applications of grammar in our lives. These examples are drawn from a wide variety of sources-newspapers, magazines, books, and the writings of undergraduate students--and from such writers and speakers as Ronald Reagan, Shirley Chisholm, Groucho Marx, Mark Twain, and Jane Addams. Class-tested and refined to be student- and instructor-friendly, THE USES OF GRAMMAR 2E also features "For Discussion" sections that enhance students' understanding of the principles covered in the text and encourage classroom discussion. "Using Grammar" sections show students how to think about grammar's function in social relations. "Language Learning" sections summarize critical concepts. Chapter Preview