Word classes

• Words


  Smallest independent unit of meaning
• Words


  • Symbolic
  • Independent
  • Minimal
• There is no adequate definition of a word
• Word classes


  The 'standard' definition includes: 1. Meaning, 2. Form test, 3. Position test
• The 'standard' definition of word classes includes meaning, form test, and position test
• It is unclear which test should be used to categorise word classes
• Words can be categorised as open versus closed-class words
• Word classes are found in different places in language
• Word classes are relevant to language impairment
• There is a 5 minute exercise
• There is a bibliography
• Most linguists acknowledge that there is no adequate definition of a word
• Whether a word can be split is gradable


  The witch practices both black and white magic
• Independence of a word is gradable


  • Jack was in a mood
  • His mood was bad
  • Jack was in a tizz
  • His tizz was bad
• Some researchers have suggested that language is minimally iconic, e.g. across languages the word for 'tongue' often contains /l/
• The 'standard' definition of word classes

  • Meaning test
  • Form test
  • Position test
• Verbs come after subjects and before objects, e.g. she ate the fish, she likes cheese
• Ways to categorise word classes

  • Open versus closed-class (content versus function)
  • Where in the sentence are particular word classes found
• Open versus closed class (Content versus function)


  Open class words are content words that can be added to the language, closed class words are function words that have a grammatical role
• Where in the sentence are particular word classes found?

  • Open class words tend to occur in the Noun Phrase and Verb Complex, closed class words tend to occur in these positions as well
• Pronouns


  • Stand in for entire Noun Phrase
• Prepositions


  • Typically signal location but not always
• Children with language impairments

  • Tend to miss out function words
  • Have difficulties understanding prepositions (when used to express location)
  • Have reduced verb diversity
• No adequate definition of a word
• The 'standard' definition of word classes uses 1) Meaning, 2) Form test, 3) Position test
• Blasi et al. (2016) found sound-meaning association biases across thousands of languages