syntax Flashcards
to learn
syntax
the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language
morphology
the study of forms of words
diction
the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing
misplaced modifier
a phrase or clause placed awkwardly in a sentence so that is appears to modify or refer to an unintended word
independent clause
a group of words that contains a subject a verb and expresses a complete thought
dependent clause
a group of words that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought
sentence fragment
a sentence that is missing either its subject or its main verb
broken sentence
a sentence fragment, which is a string of words that is missing a necessary part to be complete
proper syntax
the correct order of words and phrases in a sentence as a well as following all grammar rules.
infinitive
a basic form of a verb without an inflection binding it to a particular subject or tense
linguist
a person skilled in foreign languages; a person who studies linguistics
kernel sentence
usually has an infinite verb which means the verb reflects something about the subject, the doer of the action it usually has tense or aspect some way of indicating when or how the action takes place
Clauses
a group of words that contains a subject and a verb that are related in some way
Matrix clause
a clause that contains a subordinate clause
subordinate clause
a clause typically introduced by a conjunction that forms part of and dependent on a main clause
Main function word
words that express grammatical relationships between other words in a sentence
Headword
main content word or the main function word in that phrase
Noun Phrase
a word or group of words that function in a sentence as subject, object, or prepositional object
Verb Phrase
the part of a sentence containing a verb and any direct or indirect object, but not the subject
prepositional phrase
a group of words consisting of a preposition, its object, and any words that modify the object.
Embedded phrases
a clause that appears within a main clause
embedding hierarchal structure
the way language elements, like words or phrases, are nested within each other, forming a hierarchy where smaller units are combined to create larger units
store in brackets
typically refers to a phonetic transcrition
Anaphora
repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginnng of successive clauses.
Anadipolis
repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the following.
Epanalepsis
repetition at the end of the clause of the word that occurred at the beginning.
Epistrophe
repetition of the same word or group of words at the end of successive clauses.
Antimetabole
arranges ideas in the second clause in reverse.
Ellipsis
Deliberate omission of a word or words, which are implied
Polysyndeton
deliberate use of many conjunctions(for, and, nor, but,or, yet so) for special emphasis to highlight quantity or mass of detail, or to create a flowing, continuous sentence pattern.
Asyndeton
deliberate omission of conjunctions in a series of related clauses.
Balanced sentence
the phrases or clauses balance each by virtue of their likeness of structure, meaning, and length.
Parallelism
grammatical or structural similarity between sentences or parts of a sentence.
Predicate
action taken by the subject (tells what happens to the subject)
Phrase
a group of words which does not contain a verb
Prepositional
phrase that has prep, its object (a noun) and modifiers
Verbal
verb(s) acting as another part of a speech
Participial
a verb form functioning as an adj.
Infinitive
verb form beginning with to, plus its modifiers and compliments
Appositive
a noun/pronoun that identifies or renames a noun/pronoun
