Grammaticality

/ˌɡræmətɪˈkæləti/ noun

Definition

The quality or state of being grammatically correct; conformity to the rules of grammar.

Etymology

Modern English formation: 'grammatical' (from Latin 'grammaticus') plus the abstract noun suffix '-ity' (from Latin '-itas'), created to discuss whether something is grammatical or not.

Kelly Says

Linguists use 'grammaticality' to measure language in ways that pure correctness doesn't capture—a sentence might be grammatical but still sound weird, which is why this word helps separate 'rule-following' from 'natural-sounding'!

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