A Norwegian Grammar Sparrer

The first small steps in learning a new language reside in mastering the patterns of small sentences and small constructions. The mastery grows partly from recognizing what are the admitted patterns, partly from using these patterns over and over again until they sit in one's backbone. When learning a language as a 'second' language, the Grammar Sparrer provides you with a limited 'use' environment in which you can get feedback on linguistic patterns of your choice, with repetition and variations and explorations in exactly the directions you want. The Sparrer is found at

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and instructions for its use at Classroom:Norwegian Grammar Checking

For each expression you type into the Sparrer, you get a response as to whether the string belongs to an admitted pattern, and if not, the Sparrer may tell you what you did wrong. With the facilities of the Grammar Sparrer, you can repeat the same or partly the same material as much as you like, and you can impose ever new variations in the patterns as you like. With intensive sessions, you can both explore and drill the basic patterns of the language.

Behind this Sparrer is a computational grammar of Norwegian, with the sparring function as one of its applications. The 'advices' given are derived from the rules that the grammar applies in order to retract how a string conforms to the language (i.e., when it parses the string). Information about the grammar and its present application can be found at Norwegian HPSG grammar NorSource.

The phenomena for which the Sparrer provides feedback messages are found at Phenomena.

For an overview of current feedback messages, go to Feedback messages.