Tomichan Matheikal's blog

I’m not a fan of grammar books.  In fact, they confuse me no end with all those technical terms such as inchoative verbs and protasis.  As a teacher of English, I’ve always advised my students to hone their linguistic skills by listening, speaking, reading and writing.  We can learn another language just as we learnt our mother tongue: by using the language rather than learning its grammar.  However, I have had to teach grammar sometimes as part of the academic courses.  I’ve tried my best to make the grammar teaching sound as light and interesting as possible by avoiding jargon as far as possible and focusing on exercises that are relevant to the students’ day-to-day life.  Traditional grammar teaching would be the most boring part of language learning for most students.  And yet, having said all this, I must add that some knowledge of basic grammar always helps us to master the language. During my recent visit to Delhi, one of my ex-col...

Who made the grammar?  Was it the Pundit who had a vested interest in the days of the caste system?  Wasn’t it the aristocrat who ensured that there must be a way of controlling the people? Who made the grammar of behaviour?  Was it the Vedas, the Bible, the Quran?  Or was it the 5 star hotel, when you made enough money to visit that? Who made the grammar of economics?  Was it the zamindari system?  The caste system?  The Western way of invasions?  Or more recently the Ambanis with their own ways of invading and the Modis with their politics? Who taught you to speak your language?  Did any grammar do it? Did you learn to speak your mother tongue by leaning any grammar? Who made the grammar of love?  Kamasutra?  Dotted condoms?  Or revolutions in universities like JNU? Who made the grammar of education?  CCE?  IIT?  Entrance tests?  Or the coaching centres in Kota? I’m lo...