English Grammatical Terms

Letter L

(PG = Prescriptive Grammar  —  DG = Descriptive Grammar)

(GL = Grammatical Lingo  —  OB = Obtuse  —  NG = Not Grammatical)

  • Language  —  [DG]  The Word “Language” Literally Means:  “Of The Tongue”;  The results of the processes / action of the “tongue”.

In Common Usage — The Word “Language” is used to represent the a body of Words, and the methods & ways of combining those Words through some sort of a system (Grammar) which is unique and distinct from other such “Languages”.

In The Grammar Of The Common Tongue — It is acknowledged that the Word “Language” — from it’s root meaning (“of the tongue”) is not a perfect Term — because it neglects the written aspect of the Language.  And one could Figuratively say that “The Written Word” is “Half” of any Language(It would be nearly impossible to determine which aspect of the Language is more or less, but for the sake of Argument, we can say “half”.)

That Being Said — at this time — the Word “Language” is still used with the same Meaning & Usage in The Common Tongue — but with the recognition, that is it only (Figuratively) “Half” of the Language.

A More Perfect Term Would Be:  “Expression”  — This is because the Word “Expression” is, Literally:  The Action (“-ion”) of Pressing (“Press”) Outward (“Ex-“).

This is what is being done with both Speaking (the “action” of “pressing” the air “outward” with the diaphragm, and the tongue merely helps to modulate the sound — but does not do the “pressing”)

And with Writing (the “action” of graphing one’s thoughts, ideas into symbol form — “outwardly” from The Mind, by:  Using tools to “press” the symbols into clay tablets;  By “pressing” onto the paper with pen or pencil to write them on the page;  By having the symbols “pressed” onto the paper with the use of  “Printing Press”;  Or by actually “pressing” the individual keys on a keyboard, in-order-to create the Words on the Computer screen.)

However — in Common Usage — the Word “Expression” is Comprehended only as some form of “Artistic Performance”.  So it may take some time before I am able to get the rest of The World to “come around” to this more true Meaning of the Word “Expression”.

  • Leading Question  —  [NG]  The Term “Leading Question” is not a Grammatical Term.  It is a Legal Term which is used to refer to a Question which is used to subtly “Lead” the person being asked, to answer the question with information that the person asking it, WANTS the other person to give.  This is usually done as a way of “trapping” the person into admitting something or to give information that can be used against them.

The term “Leading Question” is most-often used in legal situations:  Police Interrogations, Legal Depositions, Court-Room Examinations.  But it is also, very-often used in Politics and The Media as well…  (And also in English lessons, when we want to help the student to find the correct answer, and to speak it themselves.)

  • Letter  —  [PGThe definition of The Grammatical Term “Letter” — in any traditional dictionary — CLEARLY SHOWS — that those within the traditional realm of English education — have no idea what the hell they are talking about — and that they SEEM to not have the ability to comprehend Grammar — or — at-best — simply have no way of expressing what the most important elements of grammar actually ARE.  If you think I’m exaggerating, just look it up!  https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/letter

 

In Traditional Grammar — a “Letter” is nothing more than “A Symbol In An Alphabet”…  Well Whoopdy-Freakin’ Doo!  What The F^ck Does That Mean?!?!?!…  That Explains NOTHING.

 

In The Grammar Of The Common Tongue — A “Letter” Is One Of the Base Grammatical Elements That Nearly ALL “Languages” Are Built Upon.  (There have supposedly been and maybe still are, Languages that do not have a written form, but only a spoken form.  And there-fore…  no Letters.)

 

In Enlightened English — …Well, you will have to wait to find out what the Word “Letter” means in Enlightened English…  (Pod-Cast Coming Soon!)  😉

  • Letter Combination  —  [DG]  The Term “Letter Combination” is not a Grammatical Term.  It is Grammatical Lingo which is used to refer to certain combinations of Letters which — when combined — create a unique sound, which is different than the sound of each Letter when they are separate.  For example:  The “Ch” & “Sh” Combinations.

However — Level-Checking Vocabulary is of the two “secondary” types of Vocabulary that you should learn for The TOEFL Exam.  The only Vocabulary that is absolutely NECESSARY to know for The TOEFL Exam is what we call “Functional Vocabulary”;  The Vocabulary which you will need to know in-order-to actually function with the exam (the Words, that are used in the instructions and questions in the exam.)

Level-Checking Vocabulary is that which will probably not be on the exam as the focus of any question because it will be assumed that you will already know this Vocabulary by the time you take The TOEFL Exam — as you need to have a certain level of English Language Knowledge & Comprehension To Take The TOEFL Exam.  So if you do not know this Vocabulary — then you are probably NOT ready to take The TOEFL Exam.

  • Lexical Term  —  [NG]  A “Lexical Term” is any Term which is in-reference-to the different categories of Words & Phrases that make up all of “Lexis”.

So when I refer to some Term as being “Grammatical Lingo” — it means that — although it may not be a proper Grammatical Term — it is a Term which is Commonly Used in relation TO Grammar.

For Example:  Because a lot of teachers in the traditional realm of teaching — either consciously or un-consciously — “look down on” their students, and think that they would not be able to comprehend the Word “Dynamic” (or because they do not comprehend it themselves) they refer to Dynamic Verbs as “Action Verbs”.

The Term Dynamic Verb is the Proper Grammatical Term“Action Verb” is Grammatical Lingo.

  • Linguistics  —  [NG]  The Term “Linguistics” is not a Grammatical Term.  It is the name of a scientific field of study.  And the subject of the study is Language.

Unfortunately — because it is a traditional scientific field of study — most of what they learn is not shared with anyone else besides other Linguists.  And that which IS shared, usually, is never done-so in any more than the production of a book which will almost never been seen by the rest of The World.  The ideas, Observations, Theories, & Discoveries are almost never implemented in the realm of Language Education — making Linguistics virtually useless…  Even to so-called “English Professionals” of the Traditional Education realm.

Everything that I have Thought of, Observed, Theorized about, & Discovered about Language has come-about through the power my own intellect, after researching some aspect of Traditional Grammar, or has come from Mind, alone.  It has ALWAYS only been AFTER my discoveries, that I have learned that someone else in the field of Linguistics has also come to the same or at-least similar conclusions — but usually not in a complete way.  And it took my researching (to ensure that I had not “missed something”) for me to discover this.

Most so-called “English Professionals” in the Traditional Realm Of Education do not do this.  They do nothing more than (and often much less than) simply repeating what they have been told.  And if they have not read it in a book, then it does not exist for them.  AND — to them — it can never be any other way — regardless of what any remaining amount of logical thinking capabilities they may still have, would say to the contrary.  They “brush it off” with pseudo-rationalizations as:  “well, that’s just the way it is.”

 

Luckily for you — I AM Sharing my Discoveries, and I AM actually DOING something about educating The World, and CHANGING the way that The World Knows & Comprehends Language.  And you are reading an example of this.  😎

  • Linguistic Term  —  [NG]  A “Linguistic Term” is any Term which is in-relation-to or about the field of “Linguistics”, or anything in it.

Therefore — it is a Stative Verb.  It is a Verb which is either some form of the Verb “(to) Be” — or a Verb which represents the “Action Of The Mind” or the “Action Of The Senses” — either of the one “DO”ing those sensing, or the “RESULT” of those senses.

 

Examples:

“They think that they are English Professionals.”

“They know NOTHING of Grammar.”

“They are complete idiots.”

“It seems like they have never actually contemplated anything of Grammar itself.”

“It looks like I will have to correct these mistakes for the whole English-speaking world.”

“It feels great knowing that I comprehend Grammar — simply by contemplating it — FAR better than people who have spent thousands of dallars and years of their life to ‘earn a degree’ which they do not deserve.”

“You are lucky to have a teacher like me.”

“I hope that you have the same opinion.”

 

As you can see — there is no difference in the construction of the Sentences — from one that describes action.  So to say that a so-called “Linking Verb” (a Stative Verb) “Links” The Subject To The Predicate, and a so-called “Action Verb” (a Dynamic Verb) does not — is completely ridiculous.

Further-more — the use of this Grammatical Lingo does not help the learner of English in any way.  It only causes confusion if they should ask why so-called “Action Verb” do not “Link”…  Because they do!  So the only answer that they could give would cause more confusion.  Because it would either be a lie, or they would have to tell the truth.  And either one would expose them or their system as being “Less Than”.  (Luckily for you — I have created A Better System for you!)  😎

  • Blog Post  —  coming soon!
  • Video Lesson  —  coming soon!
  • Literary Term  —  [NG]  A “Literary Term” is in reference to Literature & Writing.  They are often mistakenly added to lists of Grammatical Terms because — obviously — writing requires the proper use of Grammar.
  • “Loan Word  —  [NG]  The Term “Loan Word” is Grammatical Lingo which is used to refer to a Word which is taken (“loaned”) from another Language, and is used with the same Spelling, same Meaning and essentially the same Pronunciation (with exceptions to regional dialects and the general fact that people do not make an attempt to pronounce the word as it would be in it’s native Language).
  • “Long A” Pronunciation  —  [DG]  The Term “Long A” is used to refer to one of the main sounds that The Letter “A” can be pronounced as.  And although there are actually THREE different ways that “The Long A” can be pronounced — the most common examples are the way that it sounds in the words: “Plane”, “Care”, “Ate”.

However — the “Long A” is actually pronounced differently in all three of those examples.  They are called (in order)

The Long A / Long E Diphthong

The Long A / Short I Diphthong

The TRUE Long A

  • Long A / Long E Diphthong  —  [DG]  The Term “Long A / Long E Diphthong” is used to refer to one of three sounds of what — in Traditional Grammar — is referred-to as The Long A.

The Long A / Long E Diphthong is the most predominant of the “Long A Sounds” which can be clearly heard in-front of any Word where The Long Letter “A” is in-front-of The Letter “M”.  (Although The Long A / Long E Diphthong occurs in-front-of MOST other Letters.)

 

Phonetic Spelling = “AY” (there is not-yet a proper Phonetic Spelling that would not cause con-fusion — and this is a sound which is automatically produced with these letter combinations so it is not necessary to TRY to do it)

Symbol In The International Phonetic Alphabet = There Is None

Symbol In The Phonetic Alphabet of The Common Tongue (the Symbols FROM The IPA which are used in The Common Tongue):  eiː

  • Long A / Short I Diphthong  —  [DG]  The Term “Long A / Short I Diphthong” is used to refer to one of three sounds of what — in Traditional Grammar — is referred-to as The Long A.

The Long A / Short I Diphthong is the LEAST predominant of the “Long A Sounds” which can be clearly heard in-front of any Word where The Long Letter “A” is in-front-of The Letters “L” or The Letter “R”.

 

Phonetic Spelling = “AY” (there is not-yet a proper Phonetic Spelling that would not cause con-fusion — and this is a sound which is automatically produced with these letter combinations so it is not necessary to TRY to do it)

Symbol In The International Phonetic Alphabet = There Is None

Symbol In The Phonetic Alphabet of The Common Tongue (the Symbols FROM The IPA which are used in The Common Tongue): 

  • “Long E” Pronunciation  —  [DG]  The Term “Long E” is used to refer to one of the two main sounds of The Letter E (when it is not being pronounced like a completely separate Vowel).

The Long E Sound is best represented by the actually Name of “The Letter E”Phonetic Spelling = “EE” / Symbol In The International Phonetic Alphabet =

  • “Long I” Pronunciation  —  [DG]  The Term “Long I” is used to refer to one of the two main sounds of The Letter I (when it is not being pronounced like a completely separate Vowel).

The Long I Sound is best represented by the actually Name of “The Letter I”Phonetic Spelling = “AH-EE” / Symbol In The International Phonetic Alphabet = aiː

  • “Long O” Pronunciation  —  [DG]  The Term “Long O” is used to refer to one of the two main sounds of The Letter O (when it is not being pronounced like a completely separate Vowel).

The Long O Sound is best represented by the actually Name of “The Letter O”Phonetic Spelling = “OH” / Symbol In The International Phonetic Alphabet = O

  • “Long U” Pronunciation  —  [DG]  The Term “Long U” is used to refer to one of the two main sounds of The Letter U (when it is not being pronounced like a completely separate Vowel).

The Long U Sound the most common examples are the way that it sounds in the Words“Cube”, “Tube”, “Dupe”Phonetic Spelling = “OO” / Symbol In The International Phonetic Alphabet = U

The Letters of The English Alphabet — when written in the Lower-Case form — look like this:

a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z

  • Lyric  —  [NG]  The Term “Lyric” is not a Grammatical Term.  It is a Literary Term which is used to refer to anything which is of, or related to a type of Poetry that is expressed in a song-like way.  Lyrics (Plural) also — Literally — refer to the Words that accompany a song.

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