ABSTRACT
In nearly every instance, school grammar is traditional grammar. It is concerned primarily with correctness and with the categorical names for the words that make up sentences. Thus, students study grammatical terms and certain “rules” that are supposed to be associated with correctness. Grammar instruction is justified on the assumption that students who speak or write expressions such as He don’t do nothin’ will modify their language to produce He doesn’t do anything if only they learn a bit more about grammar. Because society deems that affecting such change in language is a worthwhile goal, our grammar schools, like their ancient Greek counterparts, give much attention to grammar as a prescriptive body of knowledge.
