Levels of Linguistic Analysis

Study Notes

Linguistic analysis involves understanding both the structure (form) and the context (meaning) of utterances.
The meaning of utterances is derived from their relationship to the surrounding environment (physical, social, cultural factors).
Firthian linguistics highlights context and function, seeing meaning as a complex interplay of elements (phonetic, lexical, syntactical, contextual).
Linguistic analysis has evolved from focusing solely on form to encompassing all aspects of language as a dynamic human activity.

Analysis considers linguistics (form), context (relationship between form and context/situation), and situation (non-linguistic features like physical, social, and political factors).
Phonology, grammar, and lexis are crucial aspects of linguistic form.

Palmer argues that grammatical analysis should precede phonological analysis, emphasizing grammar's primary role in linguistic analysis.
The current view suggests no inherent hierarchy among analytical levels; analysis can adjust based on the data and required focus.
A contextual approach can begin by considering context and then moving to the most suitable level for analysis.

Phonology examines the sound system of a language by analyzing how sounds are structured and patterned.
Languages select a limited set of sounds that combine to form words and sentences.

Grammar analyzes the structure and organization of language units (words, phrases, and clauses).
It defines descriptive units and categories for understanding how these elements function sequentially.
Simple sentence structure can be illustrated as Subject-Verb-Object; verb phrase; noun phrases.

A sentence is the largest grammatical unit, often comprising one or more clauses.
A clause contains a subject and verb and forms a complete thought.
A group is a collection of words functioning as a single unit (e.g., noun phrase, verb phrase).
A word is the smallest meaningful unit in language, composed of one or more morphemes.

Traditionally, grammar is divided into morphology (internal structure of words) and syntax (external relationships between words and word classes).
Morphology analyzes the internal structure of words.
Syntax studies how words and word classes relate to each other.

Lexicology investigates the patterns and choices of lexical items like words, phrases, and idioms within different linguistic contexts.
It explores how these items (words, phrases, and idioms) relate and function in various linguistic settings.