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Glossary 1.6 Glossary
Compositionality.
The principle that the meaning of a complex expression is determined by the meanings of its parts and how they are combined.
Descriptive grammar.
An approach to grammar that aims to describe how language is actually used by speakers, without making judgments about correctness or propriety.
Generativity.
Generative grammar.
A theory of grammar, developed by Noam Chomsky, that aims to specify the rules that generate all and only the grammatical sentences of a language.
Historical linguistics.
The study of how languages change over time and the relationships between languages.
Linguistics.
The scientific study of language, encompassing its structure, use, and acquisition.
Metalanguage.
Language used to describe or analyze language itself; technical vocabulary for discussing grammatical concepts.
Morpheme.
The smallest unit of language that carries meaning; the building blocks of words.
Morphology.
The branch of linguistics that studies the structure and formation of words.
Phonetics.
The branch of linguistics that studies the physical properties of speech sounds.
Phonology.
The branch of linguistics that studies the sound systems and patterns of languages.
Pragmatics.
The branch of linguistics that studies how context affects meaning and how speakers use language to accomplish social goals.
Prescriptive grammar.
An approach to grammar that sets forth rules for how language
should be used, often based on tradition, logic, or the preferences of prestigious groups.
Productivity.
The property of language that allows speakers to produce and understand an unlimited number of novel sentences using a finite set of elements and rules.
Recursion.
The property of language that allows structures to be embedded within structures of the same type, enabling infinite complexity.
Semantics.
The branch of linguistics that studies meaning in language.
Speech act.
An action performed through language, such as promising, requesting, or apologizing.
Structural linguistics.
An approach to linguistics that focuses on the analysis of language as a system of interrelated elements.
Syntax.
The branch of linguistics that studies sentence structure—how words combine into phrases and sentences.
Universal Grammar.
In Chomsky’s theory, the innate knowledge of language structure that humans are born with, which constrains the possible forms of human languages.
