Have you ever wondered how the words we choose and the way we string sentences together impact what we’re trying to say? When it comes to writing and speaking, word choice and sentence structure, also known as lexis and structure, play a huge role in getting meaning across.
In this article, we’ll break down what lexis and structure are all about, look at some key categories and examples, and explore how paying attention to these two elements can seriously up your communication game. Whether you’re working on an email, giving a presentation, or just chatting with friends, you’ll learn why lexis and structure matter and pick up some tips for crafting clearer messages.
What Is Lexis and Structure?
Lexis refers to the total stock of words and phrases in a language. It’s your vocabulary, the collection of words you know and uses. Structure, on the other hand, refers to the rules for combining words and phrases into sentences. Things like proper grammar, syntax, and morphology.
Overview of Lexis
Lexis is the total vocabulary of a language, including single words, phrases, and idioms. It is an important part of linguistics and helps determine how we understand the world through language.
Your personal lexis develops from the day you’re born, shaped by your experiences, education, interests, and environment. The words and phrases you know represent concepts you understand and can communicate to others. Your lexical knowledge comes from actively building your vocabulary over time through reading, listening, and conversing. The more words and phrases you’re exposed to, the larger your mental lexicon becomes. A robust lexicon allows you to express yourself clearly and understand others fully.
Some examples of lexical items are:
- Noun: book, computer, happiness
- Verb: run, think, become
- Adjective: big, small, difficult
- Adverb: quickly, very, too
Grammatical Knowledge
Grammar provides the structure for how we arrange words and phrases to create meaning. These include things like ensuring subjects and verbs agree, using punctuation properly, and understanding rules for word order and inflection. Grammatical knowledge develops over time through practice and experience with a language.
For example, knowing when to use:
- Subject-verb agreement: I am vs. We are
- Proper punctuation: Let’s eat, Grandpa! vs. Let’s eat Grandpa!
- Word order: The old house vs House the old
- Inflection: walk vs. walking vs walked
With a robust lexicon and a strong grasp of grammar, you have all the tools you need to express yourself clearly and eloquently.
Types Of Lexis with Examples
These are some of the aspects or types of Lexis:
Collocation
Collocation refers to words that often go together. For example, ‘heavy rain’ is a common collocation, whereas ‘powerful rain’ is not idiomatic. Learning collocations is important for fluency and naturalness. Some other examples of collocations are: make a decision, do exercise, pay attention, etc.
Diction
Diction refers to the choice of words in speech or writing. A writer’s diction can be simple or complex, formal or informal. For example, ‘The elderly man hobbled into the room’ has a more complex diction than ‘The old man walked into the room.’ Diction is an important stylistic device that determines the overall tone and clarity of a text.
Semantics
Semantics is the study of the meaning of words and phrases in a language. The meaning of words can often change over time or in different contexts. For example, the word ‘mouse’ has a different meaning when referring to a computer device versus an animal. Semantics examines how the meaning of words can change based on cultural and historical context.
Synonyms
Synonyms are words that have the same or similar meaning. Using synonyms in writing helps to make it more interesting. For example, ‘big’ and ‘large’ are synonyms. Some other examples of synonyms are:
- Happy – joyful, gleeful, jolly
- Sad – unhappy, sorrowful, gloomy
- Walk – stroll, amble, hike
Antonyms
Antonyms are words that have the opposite meaning. Like synonyms, antonyms are useful for adding variety to writing and helping the reader understand concepts. Some examples of antonyms are:
- Happy – sad
- Big – small
- Love – hate
- Day – night
Homophones
Homophones are words that have the same pronunciation but different spellings and meanings. They are often confused in writing. Some common examples of homophones are:
- Their – there – they’re
- To – too – two
- Accept – except
- Affect – effect
Polysemy
Polysemy refers to words that have multiple related meanings. The meanings are connected through metaphor or metonymy. For example, the word ‘head’ can refer to a body part, the leader of a group, the top of something, etc. The different senses of a polysemous word are related, unlike the meanings of ambiguous words. Polysemy is a key feature of word meaning and vocabulary in any language.
Slang
Slang refers to a very informal language used in speech, often used by a specific group of people. For example, “chill out” means relax, and “buzz off” means go away. Slang is very informal and often not found in standard dictionaries.
What Is Structure? Definition and Overview
Structure refers to the way words and phrases are organized in a sentence or text. It’s the arrangement of words that allows us to convey meaning. Structure is what separates language from random strings of words.
Syntax
The rules of syntax determine how words are structured into phrases and sentences. Syntax governs things like word order, sentence length, and sentence complexity. Following the rules of syntax allows us to construct sentences that native speakers will understand. Syntax is an important part of learning a new language, as each language has its own set of syntactic rules.
Grammar
Grammar refers to the rules that govern language structure at the word level. It determines things like noun gender, verb conjugation, and adjective agreement. Grammar rules vary between languages. For example, in English, we don’t change nouns based on gender or case, but in German, nouns have different forms for different cases and genders. Grammar, like syntax, must be learned for each new language.
Morphology
Morphology looks at the internal structure of words. It examines how words are formed by combining prefixes, roots, and suffixes. For example, the word “unkindness” contains the root “kind” along with the prefix “un-” and the suffix “-ness.” Morphology shows how we can create new words in a language by manipulating the parts that already exist.
Cohesion and coherence
Cohesion and coherence refer to how sentences and ideas tie together in a text. Cohesion is created through devices like pronouns, conjunctions, and parallel structure. These create links between sentences. Coherence means that the ideas and themes in a text flow logically from one to the next. Cohesion and coherence work together to make a text unified and meaningful.
In summary, structure in language refers to the rules that govern how words are organized at the sentence, word, and text levels. An understanding of syntax, grammar, morphology, and cohesion allows us to construct meaningful language. Structure separates communication from random noise.
The Four Types of Sentence Structures
Sentences come in four basic types: simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex. Understanding the differences between them will make you a stronger writer and communicator.
Simple Sentences
A simple sentence contains one independent clause with a subject and a verb. It expresses a single complete thought. For example, “I like chocolate.” Simple sentences are crisp and straightforward, useful for impact or emphasis.
Compound Sentences
A compound sentence joins two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction like “and” or “but.” For example, “I like chocolate, but my sister prefers vanilla.” Compound sentences allow you to express two separate ideas in a single sentence.
Complex Sentences
A complex sentence contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses. For example, “Although I like chocolate, I can’t eat too much of it.” The dependent clause (“Although I like chocolate”) is not a complete thought on its own. Complex sentences allow you to combine related ideas of unequal importance or emphasis.
Compound-Complex Sentences
A compound-complex sentence combines the elements of both compound and complex sentences with multiple independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses. For example, “I like chocolate, but my sister prefers vanilla, although she will eat chocolate in moderation.” These sentences demonstrate a strong grasp of advanced sentence construction with the ability to combine multiple thoughts and relationships between ideas.
Using a mix of all four sentence types in your writing will make your style compelling yet cohesive while also keeping your reader engaged. Short and long, simple and complex, your sentences work together to achieve flow and rhythm. Mastering these structures is key to articulating your thoughts in a clear, impactful way.
Examples of Lexis and Structure in Different Text Types
Within written works, lexis and structure can appear in many ways depending on the text type and genre. For example, in fiction writing like novels or short stories, lexis refers to the specific words and phrases chosen by the author to set a certain tone or mood. The structure refers to things like the plot, characters, setting, and chronological order of events.
In journalism, lexis includes the vocabulary that establishes an objective and factual tone. The typical inverted pyramid structure begins with the most important information and main points at the start, followed by additional details and background information.
Academic writing has formal lexis with technical vocabulary and complex sentence structure. The structure follows a standard introduction, body paragraph, and conclusion format with clear topic sentences and evidence to support arguments and claims.
Business communications utilize a professional and concise lexis with simple sentences and paragraphs. Common structures are memorandums with headings like To, From, Date, Subject, and bullet point lists. Emails also have a typical salutation, body, and signature structure.
Legal documents require precise and unambiguous lexis to convey information in a binding manner. Rigid structures like contracts use lexical features such as “shall” and “hereby” and specify parties involved terms, conditions, and consequences. Legislation follows a structure that includes a preamble, articles, sections, and subsections.
Creative works like poetry utilize poetic lexis with literary devices such as alliteration, metaphor, rhyme, rhythm, and repetition. Poetic forms provide structure with different patterns of meter, rhyme, rhythm, line length, and stanzas. Song lyrics also follow structures like verses, choruses, and bridges with poetic lexis and rhythmic meter.
In all types of writing, lexis and structure work together to accomplish the author’s goals and engage the intended audience. They are the threads that weave together to create different textual tapestries. Understanding how these elements are used across genres can help you become a more effective writer and critical reader.
How Lexis and Structure Work Together in Language
Lexis and structure are two sides of the same linguistic coin. Lexis refers to the words and phrases in a language, while structure refers to how those words are organized and relate to each other. Together, they create meaning.
Think of lexis as the bricks used to build a house and structure as the architecture. Without the raw materials of words and phrases, we have nothing to work with. But without rules for how to arrange them, we end up with a disorganized pile of bricks, not a functioning building.
For example, if I say, “Boys, the ball played,” the individual words (lexis) are familiar, but the structure is nonsensical. Rearrange the same words into “the boys played ball,” and meaning emerges. The lexis is unchanged, but the structure creates an understandable phrase.
Lexis and structure are interdependent. New words are added to languages in a way that complies with established grammatical rules. As languages evolve, the rules themselves are shaped by the kinds of words and expressions that speakers commonly use. Syntax, morphology, and other areas of structure arise from patterns in the lexicon.
At the same time, structure also influences lexis. The grammar of a language determines how new words can be constructed from existing roots and affixes and which types of new words are even possible in that language. For instance, English allows highly productive compounding of nouns and adjectives, so we easily coin new words like “cyberspace” and “freelancer.”
In short, lexis and structure continually feed into each other in an endless loop. They provide the form and substance that lets human communication happen. Together, they give language its power to embody ideas, convey emotions, form community, and ultimately connect the human experience.
Lexis and Structure FAQs
When learning about lexis and structure, you probably have some questions. Here are a few of the most common FAQs:
Are lexis and structure related?
Yes, lexis and structure are closely intertwined. The words we have in a language determine how they can be combined into phrases and sentences. And the rules of structure constrain which word combinations are possible. Lexis and structure work together to create meaning.
Why are lexis and structure important?
Lexis and structure are fundamental to how we communicate. Our vocabulary allows us to express a wide range of meanings. Grammatical rules allow us to connect words in ways that create coherence and logic. Studying lexis and structure provides insight into how language functions as a complex system.
What are some examples of lexis and structure?
Examples of lexis include words like “sprint,” “jog,” “run,” and “gallop” – all related to the concept of moving quickly. Examples of structure include rules of subject-verb agreement, word order, and pronoun usage. The sentence “I gave the book to her” shows the correct use of structure, with the proper ordering of subject, verb, indirect object, and direct object.
Does every language have the same lexis and structure?
No, languages differ widely in their vocabulary, grammar, and other structural elements. Lexis and structure are shaped by a language’s history, culture, and environment. So, each language has developed its own unique system for organizing words and constructing meaning.
Does lexis and structure change over time?
Language is constantly evolving. New words are added to the lexicon, and grammar rules can change or become more flexible. Studying current lexis and structure helps you stay up to date with the latest conventions and communicate effectively.
I hope this helps address some of your questions about lexis and structure.
Conclusion
We covered a lot of ground on the key concepts of lexis and structure. You now know that lexis refers to vocabulary and word choice, while structure looks at how words and sentences are organized. Hopefully, you feel equipped to spot and analyze both lexis and structure in all kinds of texts. The next time you read something, try picking out interesting lexical and structural choices and what effects they create. With practice, you’ll get better at recognizing and using these tools yourself to make your own writing clearer and more engaging. The possibilities are endless when you understand how lexis and structure work together to shape meaning.