Syntagma (linguistics)

Syntagma (from Greek σύνταγμα, syntagma, "Composite " or " constitutional " ) called in linguistics a group of related linguistic elements in a concrete utterance.

Syntagma and paradigm

In linguistics the term Syntagma of Ferdinand de Saussure was introduced and referred to a group of elements in an existing statement. The elements are obtained by dissection ( segmentation) and may " consist of sounds, words, phrases, sentences or part full sentences ." A syntactic unity of the elements is usually referred to as essential. The elements of a syntagm are usually next to each other. However, this is not necessary.

Due to the linear nature of speech from the concatenation of individual elements on the horizontal axis can be described in a more complex entity, for example, the chain of letters forming a word, words, phrases, or may be linked to a set of clauses and to.

The Syntagma has the paradigm as an antonym. Roland Barthes did in his Elements of semiology (French 1965) this relationship for the linguistics centrally, so that one can say today: ". Paradigms and syntagmas form the structural patterns of the language " in Syntagma elements are combined, compared with the paradigm ( virtual).

Language elements that can stand together in a Syntagma, relate to each other syntagmatic relationship. Language elements that can be used at the same location of a syntagm, are in a paradigmatic relationship. The ratio of syntagm and paradigm can be illustrated by a model of "horizontal " syntagmas and " vertical " paradigms.

Syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations can be determined without regard to a meaningful sense or with the involvement of semantic relations:

• Example 1

Even nonsensical word groups combined constitute a valid Syntagma, as long as they meet all ( conventional ) Rektionsbedingungen. As such, they are nonsensical in this example, this follows from the respective ( semasiological ) paradigm, or from the corresponding word fields.

Taking into account the semantic relations one, one comes for example to the following example:

• Example 2 (semantic paradigm ):