Word of the Day: April 17, 2009 ~ grammar

grammar (gram-er) - noun

Grammar is "the study of the way the sentences of a language are constructed; morphology and syntax."

First used in the written form around 1325–1375. The Greek word gramma, meaning a "letter" is the foundation of the Greek grammatike tekhne, meaning "art of letters."  This passed into the Latin language as grammatica; into Old French as grammaire, meaning"learning;" and so into English as grammar.

For several centuries in England, Latin was the language of the culture. The educated classes conversed in Latin and their social correspondence was carried on in that language. The word grammar during that time meant nothing but Latin grammer, which was regarded as the most important of all the subjects in the curriculum.  Grammar schools were so named because one of their chief aims was the teaching of Latin grammar.

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