Creativity and Grammar

A grammar, in the sense of a multi-stratal, functionally diverse model of language as system of meaning potential, provides a useful and practical framework for coming to terms with our capacity for ceaseless creativity in language.No matter whether verbal art, language play or rhetorical strategy, what amounts to creativity in language is made possible by the meaning-making resources operating on all linguistic strata.As illustrated by the linguist's reading of Edwin Thumboo's "A poet reading", the meaning of a poem is bounded only by possible readings, not just for the one who crafts it, but also for others who read it."A poet reading" not only exemplifies creativity in language, it is also a metaphorical statement on our unbounded ability to creatively transform the human experience into meaning.