The Prism of Grammar: How Child Language Illuminates Humanism

Every sentence we hear is instantly analyzed by an inner grammar; just as a prism refracts a beam of light, grammar divides a stream of sound, linking diverse strings of information to different domains of mind - memory, vision, emotions, intentions. In The Prism of Grammar , Tom Roeper brings the abstract principles behind modern grammar to life by exploring the astonishing intricacies of child language. Adult expressions provide endless puzzles for the child to solve. The individual child’s solutions ( Don’t uncomfortable the cat is one example) may amuse adults but they also reveal the complexity of language and the challenges of mastering it. Roeper offers numerous and novel ‘explorations’ that elicit how the child confronts ‘recursion’ - the heartbeat of grammar. Each chapter on acquisition begins with a commonsense look at how structures work - moving from the simple to the complex - and then turns to the literary and human dimensions of grammar.