When you have to teach a language, the current cant is communication matters. Undoubtedly it does because every language is basically a means, a mode of conveying to each other, to the larger community concepts, ideas, feelings, sensibilities, and so on.
Can we, however, convey a thought, for example, chaotically? Tough proposition, right? Unless there is a pattern to our conveying, there would be utter confusion, right? Do not you believe me? Okay, watch a crazy video doing rounds of the wapp groups. Absolutely funny it is.
A young lady is asked if women should be allowed to pray at Shikhar Shinganapur. In this video entitled "THE video which led to making Hindi compulsory from Standard I", the answer is such a gobbledy-gook of Marathi imposed on Hindi hilariously that the message is absolutely goofy.
Actually, the much hated grammar is nothing but mere pattern(s). Such structure is ubiquitous, moreover. Whichever skill or subject you may study, we have to study the underlying pattern. Be it painting, dance, music, mathematics, science, we cannot excel at it unless we acquire a thorough grounding in its base patterns.
Why, animal communication has its own innate grammar! Cows call their calves in different moo's as per the mood. Bees dance differently as per the message. Do not birds have different calls as per the message?
Why then hate grammar so much? Sure it should be taught creatively. Undoubtedly, any abstract design is always tough to grasp. Do not most people avoid philosophy, logic, an abstract M.F. Hussain, any theory for that matter? Civil engineers, however, would agree that a robust building requires a perfect plinth.
Grammar is that base upon which the building of language communication can be structured. Why hate grammar? If i want to excel in chess, I must inevitably learn the basic moves of each pawn. In brief, we must care for grammar if we want to communicate at all. Who is afraid of grammar indeed?
I always tell my students that to be a good cricketeer who can hit the Dhoni special helicopter shot, my bat must be raised over and above my head. In hockey, however, it would be a foul if my hockey stick gets raised above the knee! So why hate/avoid the pattern, the basic rules in any language, that is, grammar? Instead, let us learn it to convey and understand meanings better!
Pratima@I suppose, post the computers and the software wave, most all have got so used to ready made programmes re-used ad infinitum that human brains seem to avoid cracking any patterns.
Well, all along, using the huge humongous data provided to it, the AI is already seeking the underlying patterns, the grammar of human thinking itself. No wonder, it is getting perceived as a threat!
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