Meaning-centered Grammar by Craig Hancock

Meaning-centered Grammar by Craig Hancock

Rather than narrowly dividing language between correct and incorrect, this book promotes a respect for the power and usefulness of language in all its forms. It draws from a number of linguistic grammars, traditional grammar, and contemporary composition theory, yet achieves a unified synthesis by seeing each of these as ways to understand the language itself and its natural, inherent, meaning-making grammatical system. The book draws heavily on real world writing, including authors like Annie Dillard, Richard Rodriguez, John McPhee, Alice Walker, Tim O'Brien, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Cornel West. Though the book is primarily a linguistically based exploration, the final two chapters move into the practical world of real world application in writing (including punctuation) and reading (grammatical analysis.) It does not stop at the isolated sentence, but considers ways in which grammar works in longer passages and in harmony with rhetorical purposes. Its direct focus is on developing an understanding of language and not on directly changing language behavior. It should be of great interest to writing teachers or grammar teachers looking for alternatives to narrow prescriptive approaches or the disinterested descriptions of much contemporary linguistics.

'Hancock's Meaning-Centered Grammar makes an excellent introduction to traditional grammar viewed within a functional perspectiveIt possesses a warmth of style unusual for a textbook in this field.' Michael Cummings, Professor, Department of English, York University, Toronto

Craig Hancock has taught English at the college level for almost three decades. He is the senior writing faculty for the nationally honored Educational Opportunity Program at the University at Albany, where he has tried to discover approaches to grammar compatible with process (meaning based) approaches to teaching writing. This text was developed and refined over five years in an introductory course in English grammar.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781904768111
ISBN 10	1904768113
Title	Meaning-centered Grammar
Author	Craig Hancock
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Equinox Publishing Ltd
Year published	2005-03-01
Number of pages	224
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable