[Lecture Seven] Principles of Grammar
by Dr. Leonard Peikoff
Total Time: 2 hours, 28 minutes
Course summary: In this course, Dr. Peikoff explores the epistemological roots of the science of grammar. In it, he illustrates how an understanding of the basic methods of combining words into sentences is essential to clear thinking and writing. Each lecture contains student exercises that should be completed prior to the end of the lecture. Read more »
In this lecture: In this lecture, Dr. Peikoff focuses on the topic of diction. Although not formally a part of grammar, since diction only refers to the choice of words, it is nevertheless tied to precision and clarity. Dr. Peikoff explains how to navigate questions of denotation and connotation, formal speech and colloquialisms, synonyms, and levels of abstraction in words. He concludes with a discussion of metaphor and idiom. The lecture includes a review of the previous session’s homework.
Study Guide
This material is designed to help you digest the lecture content. You can also download below a PDF study guide for the entire course.
| What can one learn about a person from his diction? |
| Why is diction so important in English? |
| Describe the three levels of formality and provide a sentence in each level for the same thought. |
| What principles should guide the choice of synonyms? |
| What role does the issue of abstraction play in word choice? |
| When is it and when is it not appropriate to use metaphor? |
| What are some common and unavoidable English idioms? |