ungrammaticaladj.
/ˌʌnɡrəˈmatᵻkl/, /ˌʌŋɡrəˈmatᵻkl/, U.S. /ˌənɡrəˈmædək(ə)l/ 1.
a. Not in accordance with the rules of grammar.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > inaccuracy, inexactness > incorrectness of language > [adjective] > in grammar
incongruous1616
ungrammatical1654
ingrammatical1672
ungrammatic1806
grammarless1823
unsyntactical1865
asyntactic1879
1654 Bp. J. Taylor Real Presence v. 88 [To] expound it in a sense which suffers a violence and a most unnatural, ungrammatical torture.
1679 J. Dryden Troilus & Cressida Pref. sig. A4v Of those [words] which we understand some are ungrammatical, others course.
1749 Ld. Chesterfield Let. 5 Dec. (1932) (modernized text) IV. 1454 His diction was not only inelegant, but frequently ungrammatical, always vulgar.
1823 C. Lamb Mrs. Battle's Opinions on Whist in Elia 80 She called it an ungrammatical game.
1847 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair (1848) xxxii. 278 French..of a very ungrammatical sort.
1883 Law Rep.: Queen's Bench Div. 11 614 A defining section, confused and ungrammatical.
b. Not observing the rules of grammar.
ΚΠ
1859 Habits Good Society iii. 155 I am wondering whether everybody arranges his wardrobe as our ungrammatical nurses used to do ours.
1871 J. Earle Philol. Eng. Tongue viii. 412 So they (the ungrammatical people) made a plural this-e.
2. At variance with correct rule or method.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > inaccuracy, inexactness > [adjective]
untruec1220
unrighta1393
amissa1398
unproperc1400
rudec1475
bada1522
haltinga1533
unjust1554
rustical1660
unaccurate1660
inaccurate1665
unprecise1742
unexact1758
imprecise1805
inexact1828
ungrammatical1843
bum1896
dot and carry one1900
seat-of-the-pants1935
1843 J. Ruskin Mod. Painters I. 128 Some really ungrammatical and false picture of the old masters.
1903 G. B. Brown Arts in Early Eng. II. viii. 327 The enrichment of the wall surfaces..is..in parts quite ungrammatical.
Derivatives
ˌungrammatiˈcality n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > inaccuracy, inexactness > incorrectness of language > [noun] > error in grammar
uncongruityc1449
ungrammaticalness1698
ungrammaticality1961
1961 Word 17 6 On the other hand, sentences which are not universally rejected do not show ungrammaticality either total, or to a significant degree.
1969 D. T. Langendoen Study of Syntax ii. 8 Ungrammaticality arises not when there is merely internal contradiction within a linguistic object, but when it is felt that the object possesses some gross deformity in comparison with sentences in the language.
1975 Language 51 579 The two sources of ungrammaticality in written texts are slips of the pen..and deliberate breaches of grammar.
ungraˈmmaticalness n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > inaccuracy, inexactness > incorrectness of language > [noun] > error in grammar
uncongruityc1449
ungrammaticalness1698
ungrammaticality1961
1698 S. Crisp Christ Exalted 9 Omitting several Blunders of Ungrammaticalness.
1803 Gentleman's Mag. 73 i. 145 To vindicate the dialect of London..from the imputation of vulgarisms and ungrammaticalness.
1967 R. W. Langacker Lang. & its Struct. ii. iv. 94 It is important not to confuse ungrammaticalness with excessive complexity that makes a sentence difficult or impossible to use.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1924; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
adj.1654