Grammatical and textual rules. Reflections from an educational point of view

Abstract

This contribution proposes a reflection on the nature of grammatical rules. First of all, a distinction is made between rules that govern the abstract system of language and rules that delimit the perimeter of correctness at a given historical moment. Subsequently, the differences between grammatical and textual rules are analyzed, highlighting that the latter operate on the level of effectiveness rather than correctness and present themselves as “fluid” rules, principles of good functioning of the text in its fundamental components. On the bases of these deliberations, it emphasizes the importance of a didactics based on the dimension of textuality. Finally, the paper offers some suggestions on how to make the best use of textual rules in teaching writing and, in particular, in the collective rewriting of ambiguous or ineffective texts.