Linguistics words

A

Acquisition (Language Acquisition)

Definition: The natural process by which a child learns their first language without formal instruction.

Agrammatism

Definition: A language disorder affecting the ability to use grammar, often found in aphasia.

Aspectual Value (Aspectual Value)

Definition: The way an action is viewed in terms of its internal temporal structure (e.g., completed vs ongoing).

B

Bilingualism

Definition: The ability of an individual to use two languages, to varying degrees.

Babbling

Definition: An early stage of infant language development characterized by repetitive sounds.

Borrowed Word (Xenism)

→ See “Xenism” below.

C

Code-Switching

Definition: Alternating between two languages or varieties within a single discourse.

Competence (Linguistic Competence)

Definition: The implicit knowledge a speaker has of their language, as defined by Chomsky.

Corpus

Definition: A structured set of linguistic data—spoken or written—used for scientific analysis.

Creole

Definition: A natural language that develops from contact between multiple languages and becomes a community’s native tongue.

D

Deixis

Definition: Context-dependent linguistic reference (e.g., “here,” “you,” “tomorrow”).

Dialect

Definition: A regional variety of a language with specific lexical, phonetic, or grammatical traits.

Diachrony

Definition: The study of how a language evolves over time.

E

Elision

Definition: The omission of a sound in rapid speech (e.g., “j’aimais” instead of “je aimais”).

Etymology

Definition: The study of the origins and historical evolution of words.

F

Fluency (Verbal Fluency)

Definition: The ability to produce a smooth flow of words, often assessed in neuropsychology.

G

Grapheme

Definition: The smallest written unit in a writing system (e.g., “ch” in chat).

Grammar

Definition: The set of structural rules that govern a language.

Glottophobia

Definition: Discrimination based on speech patterns or accents.

H

Hiatus

Definition: The meeting of two vowels across word boundaries without liaison.

Homonymy

Definition: When two words share the same form but have different meanings (e.g., ver / verre).

Hypocoristic

Definition: An affectionate or familiar form of a name (e.g., “Lulu” from Lucie).

I

Inference

Definition: The mental process of deriving implied meaning from context.

Intonation

Definition: The melodic contour of speech conveying attitudes, emotions, or sentence type.

Isogloss

Definition: A boundary that separates geographic areas based on a linguistic feature.

J

Jargon

Definition: Specialized vocabulary used by a particular professional or social group.

Juxtaposition

Definition: A syntactic process where two elements are placed side by side without an explicit grammatical link.

K

Kinesics

Definition: The study of body movements in communication.

Koiné

Definition: A common language emerging from prolonged contact between dialects.

L

Language

Definition: A structured system of signs shared by a community; distinct from speech in Saussurean linguistics.

Lingua Franca (Vehicular Language)

Definition: A language used for communication between speakers of different native languages.

Lexicon

Definition: The set of words belonging to a language or to an individual speaker.

M

Morphology (Morphème)

→ See “Morpheme.”

Morpheme

Definition: The smallest unit of meaning within a word (e.g., re- in return).

Morphosyntax

Definition: The combined study of morphological forms and their syntactic arrangement.

Multilingualism

Definition: The coexistence or use of several languages within a society or an individual.

N

Narratology

Definition: The study of narrative structures and functions, including oral storytelling.

Nasalization

Definition: A phonetic phenomenon where air passes through the nose (e.g., /ã/).

Norm (Linguistic Norm)

Definition: A standardized form of a language, often institutionally regulated.

O

Onomastics

Definition: The study of proper names (place names, surnames, given names).

Orality

Definition: The transmission of knowledge and culture through spoken language.

Orthography

Definition: The set of conventions regulating how words are written.

P

Parole (Speech)

Definition: The individual, concrete realization of language, in Saussure’s framework.

Phoneme

Definition: The smallest distinctive sound unit in a language (e.g., /p/ vs /b/).

Phonology

Definition: The study of sound systems and their organization within languages.

Pragmatics

Definition: The study of language use in context, beyond literal meaning.

Q

Quantifier

Definition: A word expressing quantity or proportion (e.g., all, some).

R

Rhetorical Question

Definition: A question asked without expecting an answer, typically for emphasis.

Reanalysis

Definition: A process where a linguistic form is reinterpreted differently, often leading to grammatical change.

Referent

Definition: The object, person, or idea in the world that a word refers to.

Register

Definition: A level of language appropriate to a given social or communicative situation (formal, informal, etc.).

Rhythm

Definition: The temporal organization of speech, influenced by prosody and syntax.

S

Semantics

Definition: The study of meaning in words, phrases, and sentences.

Sociolinguistics

Definition: The discipline examining relationships between language and society.

Subordination

Definition: A syntactic relation where one clause depends on another.

Syntax

Definition: The rules governing word order and phrase structure.

T

Terminology

Definition: The set of technical terms specific to a professional or scientific domain.

Tense (Verbal Tense)

Definition: A grammatical category situating an action in time (past, present, future), often linked with aspect and mood.

Toponymy

Definition: The branch of onomastics studying place names.

Transitivity

Definition: A verb’s property of taking or not taking a direct object.

U

Universals (Linguistic Universals)

Definition: Features shared by all known human languages (e.g., presence of subject–predicate structure).

Usage

Definition: The way speakers actually use a language, often differing from prescriptive norms.

Utopian Language (Linguistic Utopia)

Definition: The fictional or idealized idea of a perfect universal language eliminating misunderstandings.

V

Variation (Linguistic Variation)

Definition: Diversity in language use across regions, social groups, contexts, or historical periods.

Vocalism

Definition: The system of vowels in a language.

Voicing

Definition: The vibration of the vocal cords during sound production (e.g., /z/ is voiced).

W

Wh-Questions

Definition: Interrogatives formed with what, who, where, etc., central in syntax and acquisition studies.

Writing Systems

Definition: Systems of representing language through signs (alphabetic, syllabic, logographic…).

X

Xenism

Definition: A loanword from a foreign language not yet fully integrated (e.g., sushi).

X-Bar Theory

Definition: A generative syntax model describing the hierarchical structure of phrases.

Y

Yiddish

Definition: A contact language that blends German, Hebrew, and Slavic elements, historically used in Jewish communities.

Yield (Linguistic Production)

Definition: A psycholinguistic term referring to the ability to produce complex utterances.

Z

Zeugma

Definition: A rhetorical figure where one verb governs multiple elements, only one of which semantically fits.

Linguistic Zealotry (Linguistic Zealotypy)

Definition: Excessive attachment to a language’s imagined purity, often linked to prescriptive ideologies.