06 Linguistics DICTIONARY

1. Syntax

Syntax is the set of rules that determine how words combine to form sentences. It controls sentence structure and order.
Example: English places adjectives before nouns like red car.

2. Semantics

Semantics studies meaning in language. It explores how words and sentences convey ideas.
Example: Bank can mean money place or river side based on context.

3. Pragmatics

Pragmatics focuses on how meaning changes based on situation and tone. It uses context beyond literal words.
Example: Saying great job during a failure can be sarcasm.

4. Phonetics

Phonetics studies the physical sounds of speech. It looks at how humans produce and hear sounds.
Example: The difference between p and b is voice vibration.

5. Phonology

Phonology examines sound patterns inside a language. It explains why some sounds can combine while others cannot.
Example: Hindi allows starting words with kr but English rarely does.

6. Morphology

Morphology studies how words are formed using roots, prefixes, and suffixes. It explains how meanings shift when parts are added.
Example: Happy becomes unhappy when you add un.

7. Lexicon

A lexicon is the vocabulary of a language or a person. It includes words and their meanings.
Example: Programmers have a lexicon full of tech terms.

8. Register

Register is the level of formality used in speech or writing. You change register based on audience.
Example: You speak differently with your manager compared to friends.

9. Dialect

A dialect is a regional or social form of a language with its own vocabulary and pronunciation.
Example: Marathi spoken in Pune sounds different from Marathi spoken in Kolhapur.

10. Code Switching

Code switching is shifting between languages or speech styles in conversation. People use it naturally without thinking.
Example: Mixing English and Hindi while talking.

11. Context

Context includes the surrounding situation that shapes meaning. Without context, interpretation becomes confusing.
Example: The word hot means weather, looks, or spicy depending on context.

12. Discourse

Discourse studies language use in longer communication like conversations or articles. It looks at flow and coherence.
Example: A political speech is a type of discourse.

13. Prosody

Prosody covers rhythm, stress, and intonation in speech. It influences emotion and clarity.
Example: Rising tone at the end of a sentence indicates a question.

14. Idioms

Idioms are expressions whose meanings cannot be understood by individual words. They are culturally learned.
Example: Break the ice means start a conversation.

15. Loanwords

Loanwords are terms borrowed from other languages. They enter daily vocabulary over time.
Example: Pizza from Italian.

16. Linguistic Relativity

This idea says language shapes how people think. Vocabulary influences how we notice and describe reality.
Example: Some languages have many words for snow which affects attention to details.

17. Etymology

Etymology studies the origin and evolution of words. It helps understand meaning changes over centuries.
Example: Robot comes from a Czech word meaning forced labor.

18. Grammar

Grammar is the system of rules that govern how sentences are built. It ensures clarity and structure.
Example: Using the correct tense while describing past events.

19. Connotation

Connotation is the emotional or cultural meaning of a word beyond its dictionary definition.
Example: Home feels warmer than house.

20. Denotation

Denotation is the literal and dictionary meaning of a word. It is the basic reference point for understanding.
Example: Dog means a four legged animal.

21. Speech Act

A speech act is when language performs an action like promising, apologizing, or ordering.
Example: Saying I promise commits you to something.

22. Language Acquisition

This is the process of learning a language naturally. Children learn it easily through interaction.
Example: A kid learns Marathi without formal teaching.

23. Polysemy

Polysemy occurs when one word has multiple related meanings. It is common in everyday language.
Example: Head can mean person in charge or top of something.

24. Homophones

Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings or spellings. They create confusion in speech and writing.
Example: Two and too.

25. Code Mixing

Code mixing blends elements of two languages in a single sentence. It often reflects bilingual fluency.
Example: Can you send that file abhi.