# data[].attributes.body
How the Brain Learns to Read: Ch.1
How the ELL Brain Learns: Ch. 1
Phonics They Use: Ch. 2
Words Their Way: Ch. 1

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Is Oral Language? Understanding Its Components and Impact on Reading Instruction

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unlike mathematics or science, reading is the only academic area in which we expect children to arrive as kindergarteners with a basic skill level. Research has shown that oral language-the foundations of which are developed by age four-has a profound impact on children's preparedness for kindergarten and on their success throughout their academic career.

# data[].attributes.headline
Why is Supporting Oral Language Important?

# data[].attributes.subject
Why is Supporting Oral Language Important?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is Phonology?

Phonology is the study of the patterns of sounds in a language and across languages. Put more formally, phonology is the study of the categorical organisation of speech sounds in languages; how speech sounds are organised in the mind and used to convey meaning. In this section of the website, we will describe the most common phonological processes and introduce the concepts of underlying representations for sounds versus what is actually produced, the surface form.

Phonology can be related to many linguistic disciplines, including psycholinguistics, cognitive science, sociolinguistics and language acquisition. Principles of phonology can also be applied to treatments of speech pathologies and innovations in technology. In terms of speech recognition, systems can be designed to translate spoken data into text. In this way, computers process the language like our brains do. The same processes that occur in the mind of a human when producing and receiving language occur in machines. One example of machines decoding language is the popular intelligence system, Siri.
Phonology vs. Phonetics - the key differences
Phonology is concerned with the abstract, whereas phonetics is concerned with the physical properties of sounds. In phonetics we can see infinite realisations, for example every time you say a 'p' it will slightly different than the other times you've said it. However, in phonology all productions are the same sound within the language's phoneme inventory, therefore even though every 'p' is produced slightly different every time, the actual sound is the same. This highlights a key difference between phonetic and phonology as even though no two 'p's are the same, they represent the same sound in the language.

(Phonology vs phonetics from inglesdocencia)

Also refer to the Phonetics page to get a better idea of the differences and similarities between these two related areas of linguistics.

Phonemes are the meaningfully different sound units in a language (the smallest units of sound). For example, 'pat' and 'bat' differ in their first phoneme: the "p" and "b". Vowels are also phonemes, so "pat" and "pet" differ by a phoneme, too (But phonemes don't always match up with spelling!). When two words differ by a single phoneme they are known as a minimal pair.
Allophones are different ways to pronounce a phoneme based on its environment in a word. For example, the two allophones of /l/ in "little" are actually produced slightly differently, and the second one sounds slightly deeper. These different "l"s always occur in different environments in words, which is known as "complementary distribution".
Phonology looks at many different things...

Why do related forms differ? Sane-Sanity. Electric-Electricity/ Atom-Atomic
Phonology finds the systematic ways in which the forms differ and explains them

What is stored in the mind?
Phonology studies abstract mental entities, such as structures and processes. This contrasts with phonetics, which deals with the actual production and acoustics of the sounds of language.

What sounds go together?
Looks at what sounds/sound combinations are accepted and why.

How are sounds organized into syllables?
With the use of phonological trees syllables are broken up more easily. Syllables are made up of a rhyme and an onset (any consonants before the rhyme). The rhyme made up of a nucleus (the vowel sound(s) in the syllable, the key component of all syllables) and a coda (any consonants following the nucleus).

What are the differences between languages?
For example, different languages can used different phonemes, or different syllable structures (what sounds can go together to make sequences or words) and phonology identifies these differences.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Phonology is the study of the patterns of sounds in a language and across languages. Put more formally, phonology is the study of the categorical organisation of speech sounds in languages; how speech sounds are organised in the mind and used to convey meaning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Syntax definition: Syntax is the grammatical structure of words and phrases to create coherent sentences.

What is syntax?

What does syntax mean? Syntax is the grammatical structure of sentences. The format in which words and phrases are arranged to create sentences is called syntax.

Let's look at an example of how a sentence can be rearranged to create varied syntax.
Examples of Syntax in a Sentence:
By rearranging just one word in the sentence, a varied syntax is formed. Each is grammatically correct and acceptable English language form.

A writer will vary sentence syntax to make writing more interesting or to emphasize a particular point.

Words and phrases must follow English rules for correct arrangement and coherent sentences.

Syntax vs. Diction: What's the Difference?

Syntax and diction are different concepts in grammar and in literature.

What is syntax? Syntax is the arrangement of words that make a sentence.

What is diction? Diction is word choice.

The following examples have similar syntax but different diction.

The boy jumped happily.

The girl sang beautifully.

The dog barked loudly.

Each of these sentences has the same syntax. Each sentence follows the structure of subject-verb-adverb. However, each sentence uses different diction (word choice).

The following examples have similar diction but different syntax.

Each of these sentences has the same diction. Each sentence uses the same four words. However, each sentence has different word order to create different syntax.

In other words, diction and syntax focus on different things. Diction focuses on word choice, while syntax focuses on the order and structure of those words.

Proper Syntax in English Sentences

In English, a strong, active voice sentence will always have the subject doing the action of the sentence. These sentences will follow a basic subject-verb-object format.

Below are a few examples of different types of syntax in English. Each of these examples has different syntax.

Simple sentences follow a subject-verb format.
Simple Syntax Examples:
Compound sentences have more than one subject or verb.
Compound Syntax Examples:

The boy jumped and the girl sang.

I did not go to the concert but I went to the fair.

Complex sentences contain a subordinating clause.
Complex Syntax Examples:

The boy jumped even though he was nervous.

Because she was excited, the girl sang.

Compound-complex sentences contain two independent clauses and more dependent clauses.
Compound-complex Syntax Examples:

Even though he was nervous, the boy jumped and he landed across the stream.

The girl sang and the woman shrieked because they were excited.

Read more on English sentence structure.

Parallel Structure in Sentences

When constructing sentences, it is important to always keep in mind that ideas should be parallel.

In English, parallel structure is most often an issue when creating a series list. Therefore, we will look at an example of appropriate parallel structure through lists.
Correct example:

I like running, jumping, and hiking.

In this example, three gerunds are used (running, jumping, hiking) to create the grammatically correct list.
Incorrect example:

I like to run, jumping, and hiking.

In this example, "to run" and "jumping" and "hiking" are not parallel. "To run" is an infinitive and "jumping" and "hiking" are gerunds. This sentence is grammatically incorrect and this sentence does not have proper syntax.

Summary: What is Syntax in Literature?

Define syntax: the definition of syntax is,

the arrangement of words and phrases to create sentences

a way for writers to express creativity and create interest

a balance of words that must be parallel to be grammatically correct

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is Syntax? Definition, Examples of English Syntax - Writing Explained

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Syntax definition: Syntax is the grammatical structure of words and phrases to create coherent sentences. What does syntax mean? Syntax is the grammatical structure of sentences. The format in which words and phrases are arranged to create sentences is called syntax. Let's look at an example of how a sentence can be rearranged to create varied syntax.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A basic introduction to semantics as provided by Janice Lawrence. For more information about semantics, please visit our website, www.semanticarts.com, and follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/SemArtsInc.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What Is Oral Language? Developing oral language means developing the skills and knowledge that go into listening and speaking-all of which have a strong relationship to reading comprehension and to writing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Why is oral language important?
Oral language skills are important for socialisation for communication. Children need to be able to take part in a conversation with others to share their experiences and have the ability to answer and ask question.
Oral language also improves children's reading skills as oral language helps to improves phonemic awareness. -- . Children with developed oral language skills have an increased capability of skills for learning to read as they are able to recognize and produce rhyming words and identify beginning sounds in words.
Oral language also is critical to vocabulary acquisition. When children are encouraged to talk about their experiences in a conversation with others, they will add words to their vocabulary. Oral language is important for the development of Comprehension skills, children who have well developed oral language skills will have an easier time comprehending what they read or what is read to them. If you communicate frequently with your child at home by asking questions or playing games, you will help him or her become a successful reader.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Why is oral language important? Oral language skills are important for socialisation for communication. Children need to be able to take part in a conversation with others to share their experiences and have the ability to answer and ask question.Oral language also improves children's reading skills as oral language helps to improves phonemic awareness.

# data[].attributes.body
Rules for forming phrases and sentences.

# data[].attributes.body
Smallest units of sound that distinguish words.

# data[].attributes.body
Meaning expressed through language.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A Definition of Pragmatics

the study of the practical aspects of human action and thought.

the study of the use of linguistic signs, words and sentences, in actual situations.[1]

Pragmatics outlines the study of meaning in the interactional context

It looks beyond the literal meaning of an utterance and considers how meaning is constructed as well as focusing on implied meanings. It considers language as an instrument of interaction, what people mean when they use language and how we communicate and understand each other.

Jenny Thomas[2] says that pragmatics considers:

the negotiation of meaning between speaker and listener.

the context of the utterance.

the meaning potential of an utterance.

What would happen to language if Pragmatics did not exist?

Pragmatics acts as the basis for all language interactions and contact. It is a key feature to the understanding of language and the responses that follow this. Therefore, without the fucntion of Pragmatics, there would be very little understanding of intention and meaning.

We would like to demonstrate this by showing you how life would be WITHOUT Pragmatics:

'Can you pass the salt?'

Literal Meaning: Are you physically able to do this task?
Literal Response: 'Yes'

(Pragmatic Meaning: Will you pass me the salt?
Pragmtic Response: pass the salt to the speaker.)

'What time do you call this?'

Literal Meaning: What time is it?
Literal Response: A time (e.g. 'twenty to one.')

(Pragmatic Meaning: a different question entirely, e.g. Why are you so late?
Pragmatic Response: Explain the reason for being so late.)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
the study of the practical aspects of human action and thought. the study of the use of linguistic signs, words and sentences, in actual situations.[1] It looks beyond the literal meaning of an utterance and considers how meaning is constructed as well as focusing on implied meanings.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Morphology is the study of words. Morphemes are the minimal units of words that have a meaning and cannot be subdivided further. There are two main types: free and bound. Free morphemes can occur alone and bound morphemes must occur with another morpheme. An example of a free morpheme is "bad", and an example of a bound morpheme is "ly." It is bound because although it has meaning, it cannot stand alone. It must be attached to another morpheme to produce a word.

Free morpheme: bad
Bound morpheme: -ly
Word: badly

When we talk about words, there are two groups: lexical (or content) and function (or grammatical) words. Lexical words are called open class words and include nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. New words can regularly be added to this group. Function words, or closed class words, are conjunctions, prepositions, articles and pronouns; and new words cannot be (or are very rarely) added to this class.

Affixes are often the bound morpheme. This group includes prefixes, suffixes, infixes, and circumfixes. Prefixes are added to the beginning of another morpheme, suffixes are added to the end, infixes are inserted into other morphemes, and circumfixes are attached to another morpheme at the beginning and end. Following are examples of each of these:

Prefix: re- added to do produces redo
Suffix: -or added to edit produces editor
Infix: -um- added to fikas (strong) produces fumikas (to be strong) in Bontoc
Circumfix: ge- and -t to lieb (love) produces geliebt (loved) in German

There are two categories of affixes: derivational and inflectional. The main difference between the two is that derivational affixes are added to morphemes to form new words that may or may not be the same part of speech and inflectional affixes are added to the end of an existing word for purely grammatical reasons. In English there are only eight total inflectional affixes:

The other type of bound morphemes are called bound roots. These are morphemes (and not affixes) that must be attached to another morpheme and do not have a meaning of their own. Some examples are ceive in perceive and mit in submit.

English Morphemes

There are six ways to form new words. Compounds are a combination of words, acronyms are derived from the initials of words, back-formations are created from removing what is mistakenly considered to be an affix, abbreviations or clippings are shortening longer words, eponyms are created from proper nouns (names), and blending is combining parts of words into one.

Compound: doghouse
Acronym: NBA (National Basketball Association) or scuba (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus)
Back-formation: edit from editor
Abbreviation: phone from telephone
Eponym: sandwich from Earl of Sandwich
Blending: smog from smoke and fog

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Morphology is the study of words. Morphemes are the minimal units of words that have a meaning and cannot be subdivided further. There are two main types: free and bound. Free morphemes can occur alone and bound morphemes must occur with another morpheme.

# data[].attributes.headline
Components Required for Spoken Language Processing

# data[].attributes.subject
Components Required for Spoken Language Processing

# data[].attributes.body
Forming complex words using roots, prefixes, and suffixes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Social Skills Video Lessons | Think it Or Say It