Linguistics Glossary
Key terms, methods, and interpretive vocabulary tied to this encyclopedia section.
A
Agreement
A concise definition of agreement within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in syntax and grammar.
Allophone
A concise definition of allophone within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in phonetics and phonology.
Ambiguity
A concise definition of ambiguity within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in semantics and meaning.
C
Code-Switching
A concise definition of code-switching within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in sociolinguistics and language variation.
Cognate
A concise definition of cognate within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in historical and comparative linguistics.
Coherence
A concise definition of coherence within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in pragmatics and discourse.
Compound
A concise definition of compound within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in morphology and word structure.
Constituent
A concise definition of constituent within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in syntax and grammar.
Corpus
A concise definition of corpus within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in writing systems, documentation, and applied linguistics.
D
Deixis
A concise definition of deixis within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in pragmatics and discourse.
Dependency
A concise definition of dependency within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in syntax and grammar.
Derivation
A concise definition of derivation within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in morphology and word structure.
Dialect
A concise definition of dialect within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in sociolinguistics and language variation.
E
Entailment
A concise definition of entailment within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in semantics and meaning.
I
Implicature
A concise definition of implicature within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in pragmatics and discourse.
Inflection
A concise definition of inflection within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in morphology and word structure.
IPA
A concise definition of IPA within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in phonetics and phonology.
L
Language Documentation
A concise definition of language documentation within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in writing systems, documentation, and applied linguistics.
Linguistics
An accessible overview of Linguistics, covering what the field includes, how its main areas fit together, and why it matters in a connected encyclopedia.
M
Morpheme
A concise definition of morpheme within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in morphology and word structure.
O
Orthography
A concise definition of orthography within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in writing systems, documentation, and applied linguistics.
P
Phoneme
A concise definition of phoneme within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in phonetics and phonology.
Phonology and Sound Systems
A guide to Phonology and Sound Systems within Linguistics, outlining its meaning, major questions, and the related topics readers should explore next.
Prestige
A concise definition of prestige within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in sociolinguistics and language variation.
Prosody
A concise definition of prosody within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in phonetics and phonology.
Proto-Language
A concise definition of proto-language within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in historical and comparative linguistics.
R
Reconstruction
A concise definition of reconstruction within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in historical and comparative linguistics.
Reference
A concise definition of reference within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in semantics and meaning.
Register
A concise definition of register within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in sociolinguistics and language variation.
S
Second-Language Acquisition
A concise definition of second-language acquisition within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in writing systems, documentation, and applied linguistics.
Semantics and Meaning
A guide to Semantics and Meaning within Linguistics, outlining its meaning, major questions, and the related topics readers should explore next.
Sense
A concise definition of sense within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in semantics and meaning.
Sound Change
A concise definition of sound change within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in historical and comparative linguistics.
Speech Act
A concise definition of speech act within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in pragmatics and discourse.
Syntax
A concise definition of syntax within linguistics, explaining what the term means, where it is used, and how it connects to wider study in syntax and grammar.
Syntax and Sentence Structure
A guide to Syntax and Sentence Structure within Linguistics, outlining its meaning, major questions, and the related topics readers should explore next.