What Graeco-Roman Grammar Was About
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Author Description
This title explains how the grammarians of the Graeco-Romance world perceived the nature and structure of the languages they taught. The volume focuses primarily on the early centuries AD, a time when the Roman Empire was at its peak; in this period, a grammarian not only had a secure place in the ancient system of education, but could take for granted an established technical understanding of language. By delineating what that ancient model of grammar was, P.H. Matthews highlights both those aspects that have persisted to this day and seem reassuringly familiar, such as 'parts of speech', as well as those aspects that are wholly dissimilar to our present understanding of grammar and language. The volume is written to be accessible to students of linguistics from undergraduate level upwards, and assumes no knowledge of Latin or Ancient Greek.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This volume investigates the conceptual framework and technical understanding of language held by Graeco-Roman grammarians during the early centuries AD. Peter Hugoe Matthews, a distinguished linguist, utilizes historical records of ancient educational systems to reconstruct the model of grammar prevalent during the height of the Roman Empire. He argues that while certain foundational concepts remain embedded in modern linguistic study, other aspects of the ancient approach are fundamentally distinct from contemporary perspectives.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of the role of grammarians within the ancient educational system
- Examination of the origins of technical terminology such as 'parts of speech'
- Comparative study between ancient linguistic models and modern grammatical theory
Scope Limits
- Does not require prior knowledge of Latin or Ancient Greek
- Focuses primarily on the early centuries AD rather than the entire span of antiquity
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts recognize this work as a clear and accessible introduction for undergraduate students of linguistics. Readers frequently note that the text successfully bridges the gap between historical classical studies and modern linguistic theory without requiring specialized language skills.
Page Count:
243
Publication Date:
2019-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0191868469
ISBN-13:
9780191868467
Linguistics
Language History
Education
Grammar
