Structuralist View of Grammar and IC Analysis
1. Background to Structuralist Grammar
Structuralist
grammar began in the early 20th century. It studies how language is actually
used in real life. It does not tell people what is right or wrong language.
Instead, it describes real language patterns.
This
approach sees language as a system of structures. Every word, phrase, and
sentence has a place in this system. Language is studied through forms,
patterns, and arrangements.
Main ideas:
· Spoken language is more important
than written language
· Description is more important than
rules
· Structure is more important than
meaning
Language
works through patterns. Language was treated as a system in which every unit
(sound, word, phrase, sentence) gets meaning from its position and function
in the structure.
2. Traditional Grammar
Traditional
grammar is the old rule-based system of grammar. It tells people how language
should be used.
Features:
· Focus on rules
· Focus on correctness
· Based on Latin grammar
· Focus on meaning and logic
· Less focus on spoken language
Structuralists
rejected traditional grammar because it does not study real language use.
3. Structural Grammar (Major Tenets)
Structural
grammar is descriptive and scientific. It studies language as a system
of patterns and structures.
Major principles:
· Language is a system
· Grammar is based on patterns
· Spoken language is primary
· Words are identified by position
· Language learning happens through
habit
Structure is
more important than meaning.
Example of structure:
Det + N +
Aux + V-ing
"The boy is running"
"The girl is singing"
Both
sentences follow the same structural pattern.
4. IC Analysis (Immediate Constituent Analysis)
IC analysis
is a method used in structural grammar to break sentences into smaller
meaningful units called constituents. It shows how a sentence is built step
by step.
Purpose of IC Analysis:
- To show internal structure of sentences
- To identify grammatical units
- To explain sentence organization
- To show relationships between parts
5. IC Analysis with Graphical Discussion
(A) Structural Tree of a Sentence
Example
sentence: "The boy ate an apple."
Sentence
|
-------------------
| |
NP VP
| |
----------- -----------
| | | |
Det N
V NP
| |
| |
The boy
ate an apple
This shows
how a sentence is hierarchically structured into phrases and words.
(B) Subject–Predicate Structure
Sentence
|
---------------------
| |
Subject Predicate
| |
The boy ate an apple
This
represents the classical structural division of a sentence.
(C) Noun Phrase (NP) Structure
Noun Phrase
(NP)
Noun Phrase
|
-----------------
| |
Determiner Noun
| |
The boy
This shows
the internal structure of a noun phrase.
6. Limitations of IC Analysis
Although IC
analysis is useful for structural understanding, it has several limitations:
1.
Focuses only on structure, not meaning
2.
Cannot explain ambiguity clearly
3.
Not effective for long and complex sentences
4.
Mechanical and rigid method
5.
Ignores deep structure
6.
Does not explain speaker competence
Conclusion
The structuralist view of grammar
transformed linguistics by making language study scientific, descriptive, and
systematic. IC analysis helped linguists understand sentence structure clearly
through visual and hierarchical division. However, its limitations in
explaining meaning, ambiguity, and deeper grammatical relations led to the
development of later theories like transformational and generative grammar.
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