Words and Word Classes

Properties of Words

Words possess several key properties:

  • Symbolic (Iconicity): Words exhibit a degree of iconicity, meaning they represent or resemble the concepts they signify, though this is gradable.
  • Independent: Words can stand alone and appear in various parts of a sentence. However, this independence is also gradable, as some words may not sound correct in certain positions.
  • Minimal: Words are generally considered the smallest units of meaning that cannot be split into smaller parts, although some words can be broken down further.

Challenges in Defining "Word"

There is no universally accepted definition of a "word" due to the gradable nature of its properties:

  • Independence varies; some words are less independent than others.
  • Some words can indeed be split into smaller meaningful pieces (morphemes).
  • Symbolism is not absolute; the degree of iconicity differs across words.
  • Language itself is only minimally iconic.

Word Classes

Word classes, also known as parts of speech, can be identified using the following tests:

  • Meaning Test: What meaning does the word convey?
  • Form Test: Can a verb be made progressive by adding "-ing"? Do adverbs usually end in "-ly"?
  • Position Test (Distribution): Where does the word typically appear in a sentence? For example, verbs often follow subjects and precede objects, while adverbs/adverbials can appear in various positions.

Open vs. Closed Classes

Word classes are broadly divided into open and closed classes:

  • Open Classes: These classes are productive and readily admit new members.
    • Nouns
    • Main verbs
    • Adjectives
    • All types of adverbs
  • Closed Classes: These classes are relatively fixed and rarely add new members.
    • Pronouns
    • Auxiliary verbs
    • Prepositions
    • Determiners (articles, deictic determiners, quantifiers)
    • Coordinating and subordinating conjunctions

Phrases

  • Noun Phrases: These commonly include a determiner, adverbs, adjectives, and a noun.
  • Verb Complex: This includes auxiliaries, adverbs, and a main verb.
  • Prepositional Phrases: These contain a preposition and, often, a noun phrase.

Prepositions

Prepositions typically indicate location but serve other functions as well.

Language Impairment in Children

Children with language impairment often exhibit the following difficulties:

  • Difficulties in understanding prepositions.
  • Tendency to omit function words like auxiliaries.
  • Reduced verb diversity in their speech.