WORDS

Words

Words

Introduction

Syntaxor rules that regulate the way words are arranged to form sentences, phrases, or any other form of complete thought contributes to the meaning of the words. Different languages adhere to different syntactical rules. To form sentences according to the syntactical rules of a particular language presents a systematic, orderly arrangement of words that contribute to meaning in a particular language. Semantics is the philosophical and linguistic study of meaning; it is the study of the relationships between words and meanings. Philosophers study the meaning of sentences through the perspectives of reference and truth conditions. An example of reference occurs in the sentence “Biden is vice president of the United States.” The word Biden and the phrase vice president of the United States refer to the same entity, Joe Biden. Truth conditions consider the conditions under which a statement can be deemed true or false. An example of truth conditions is “Gwendolyn Brooks passed away in December 2000”. This is true. “Gwendolyn Brooks passed away during the 21st century”. This is true. Linguists study the meaning of sentences, phrases, and words through lexical decomposition (Francis, 2002, Pp. 247-278). This paper discusses the patterns and relationships in words with reference to lexical grammar in a holistic context.

Discussion

To understand the relationship and patterns in words one must have a good understanding of diction, as diction describes word choices in written and spoken communication. Correct diction includes appropriate and accurate word choices. A writer or speaker must make careful, well-informed word choices to communicate effectively with the intended audience. Diction also extends to proper arrangement of words, including grammatical concerns, such as subject-verb agreement, and to mechanics, such as punctuation and spelling. Along with word choices that collectively construct either formal or informal diction, the writer must discern the best use of abstract and concrete words throughout the text. The writer's relationship with readers relies heavily on the ability to execute these choices effectively. Vague language can be interpreted as imprecise thinking. Diction, then, contributes to a speaker's or character's identity (Parker & Riley, 1994, Pp. 75-92).

On the lexical level, words can undergo broadening, narrowing, and meaning shifts. Examples of broadening include the word picture. During an earlier period, picture meant a painting. Today, its meaning has broadened to mean a photo or an electronic image. Another example of lexical broadening occurred in the word holiday, which in earlier times meant “holy day,” a day of religious significance. Today, holiday means a day to commemorate an event, or a day free from the routine of work. Broadening has also occurred with brand names. Although Kleenex and Xerox are brand names, these words have been broadened to mean any type of facial tissue and any form of photocopy, respectively. An example of lexical narrowing occurred in the word meat. In earlier times, meat meant food in general. Today, meat refers to a specific type of food. Interestingly, the word girl once referred to a child, regardless of ...