syntax
Meaning: The set of rules governing how words and phrases are arranged to form grammatically correct sentences in a language.
Syntax deals with sentence structure rather than meaning, examining how subjects, verbs, and objects relate to one another. In linguistics, it is distinct from morphology (word formation) and semantics (meaning). The term is also used in computing to describe the rules for writing valid code in a programming language.
Examples
- The syntax of English requires the subject to precede the verb in most declarative sentences. 英语的句法要求在大多数陈述句中主语在动词之前。La sintaxis del inglés exige que el sujeto preceda al verbo en la mayoría de las oraciones declarativas.英語の構文では、ほとんどの平叙文で主語が動詞の前に来ることが求められる。영어의 구문에서는 대부분의 평서문에서 주어가 동사 앞에 와야 한다.
- Her essay was full of interesting ideas, but the awkward syntax made it difficult to follow. 她的论文充满了有趣的观点,但笨拙的句法使之难以理解。Su ensayo estaba lleno de ideas interesantes, pero la sintaxis torpe dificultaba la lectura.彼女の論文は興味深い考えに満ちていたが、ぎこちない構文のため読みにくかった。그녀의 에세이는 흥미로운 생각으로 가득했지만, 어색한 구문 때문에 읽기 어려웠다.
- Students of syntax often analyse sentence trees to understand how clauses are embedded within one another. 句法研究者经常分析句子树状图,以了解从句如何相互嵌套。Los estudiantes de sintaxis suelen analizar árboles sintácticos para entender cómo se insertan las cláusulas unas dentro de otras.構文の研究者は、節がどのように互いに埋め込まれているかを理解するために、しばしば文の樹形図を分析する。구문론을 연구하는 학생들은 절이 어떻게 서로 내포되어 있는지를 이해하기 위해 문장의 수형도를 분석하는 경우가 많다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: academic, professional
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Greek syntaxis (arrangement, putting together), from syn- (together) and tassein (to arrange). Entered English in the 16th century via Latin and French.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
More From This Topic
More from Language & Linguistics
Flashcards, quizzes, audio pronunciation & spaced repetition — all free