Grammatica

Grammatica, or grammar, is the set of rules and patterns that govern how words combine to form phrases and sentences in a language. It describes the systematic structure of a language at several levels: morphology (word formation and inflection), syntax (the arrangement of words and phrases), phonology (the sound system), and orthography (spelling and punctuation). Together these elements determine what is considered grammatical in a given language.

Grammars can be descriptive or prescriptive. Descriptive grammar documents how speakers actually use a language, including regional and social variation. Prescriptive grammar prescribes norms for correctness or style, often reflecting a standard used in education and formal writing.

Languages vary in structure. Many adopt a default word order such as subject–verb–object or subject–object–verb, while others rely more on morphology or particles to indicate grammatical relations. Morphology may be isolating, analytic, fusional, or agglutinative. Grammatical relations are signaled by word order, case markings, agreement, or auxiliary words.

Historically, grammars have played a central role in language teaching. Ancient and medieval grammarians produced manuals for Latin, Greek, and other languages. Panini’s Sanskrit grammar is cited as a highly systematic treatment of language. In modern times, descriptive linguistics and, later, generative theories broadened the study of grammar into cognitive and computational contexts.

Applications include language education, lexicography, and natural language processing. Knowledge of grammar supports writing quality, language learning, and the development of spelling and grammar checking tools.