Definition of Sentence

Four processes are involved in the production of the words and sentences of language: selection, arrangement, modification, and intonation. We may thus define a sentence as follows: A sentence is a sequence of selected syntactic items combined into a unit in accordance with certain patterns of arrangement, modification, and intonation in any given language.

Many other definitions of sentences have been given. Otto Jespersen referred to them as "notional kernel". The term kernel has subsequently beer applied to the smallest, most fundamental sentences of a language. But since we cannot define notional satisfactorily, little can be done with Jespersen's characterization. Notebooks might be viewed as a notional kernel, for example, but it is not necessarily a sentence. Yet when uttered with an appropriate intonation pattern, in answer to a question like "What did you want me to bring?" is a sentence. A sentence has also been defined, therefore, as any string of morphemes ending with a final intonation pattern.

To provide the means for analyzing sentences or any other syntactic entities, two terms are used: construction and constituent. A construction is any complete group of words or morphemes. The term may be used for phrases, for example

Phoneme Morpheme and Syntax

Phoneme, Morpheme, and Syntax

A phoneme is the smallest contrastive unit in the sound system of a language.
In a language or dialect, a phoneme (from the Greek: phonema, "a sound uttered") is the smallest segmental unit of sound employed to form meaningful contrasts between utterances.

Here are examples of the phonemes /r/ and /l/ occurring in a minimal pair:

    * lip
    * rip

The phones [r] and [l] contrast in identical environments and are considered to be separate phonemes. The phonemes /r/ and /l/ serve to distinguish the word rip from the word lip.

-------------------
A morpheme is

Main Clauses and Subordinate Clauses

A clause is a part of a sentence. There are two main types: independent (main clauses), dependent (subordinate clauses).

An independent clause is a complete sentence; it contains a subject and verb and expresses a complete thought in both context and meaning, for example: The door opened. Independent clauses can be joined by a coordinating conjunction to form complex or compound sentences.
The Co-ordinating Conjunctions are: and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet. For example: take two independent clauses and join them together with the conjunction and: " The door opened." "The man walked in." = The door opened and the man walked in.

A dependent (subordinate) clause is

Endocentric and Exocentric Constructions

Endocentric and Exocentric Constructions
Syntactic Devices, part 2)

The syntactic constructions analysed are of two main types: endocentric and exocentric constructions, depending on their distribution and the relation between their constituents. The terms endocentric and exocentric are used to classify constructions.

ENDOCENTRIC
ENDOCENTRIC construction is one whose distribution is functionally equivalent to that of one or more of its constituents, i.e., a word or a group of words, which serves as a definable CENTRE or HEAD.

Usually noun phrases, verb phrases, and adjective phrases belong to endocentric types because the constituent items are subordinate to the Head.

An endocentric construction is one in which the primary constituent or constituents are comparable to the complete construction. For example, "Good old John" and "John and Mary" are endocentric because their central contituents. "John and Mary" are nouns that function like the combined construction. These are more examples:

Coordination and Subordination

Coordination and Subordination
(Syntactic Devices, part 1)

Syntactic Devices
Semantics is the study of meaning. It is a wide subject within the general study of language. Syntactic device is used to help with semantics in the English language.
The basic patterns of language may be extended in various ways or by various device.

• Coordination or Conjoining
• Subordination or Embedding
• Endocentric and Exocentric
• Substitution
• Function Words and Content Words
• Concord and Government

Coordination or Conjoining
What is Coordination? an equal joining together two or more phrases or clauses, for example, using and, or, or but.
What is Conjoining? To join as coordinate elements, often with a coordinating conjunction, such as coordinate clauses.

In such extensions parallel entities are arranged side by side, that is, coordinated, or conjoined. Instead of the two sentences "John takes cream" and "john takes sugar", we may conjoin the objects and say "John takes cream and sugar". Or we may conjoin differing subjects or differing verbs and say "John and Mary take cream and sugar" and "John takes and enjoys cream". Coordination, or conjoining, is one of the basic syntactic devices.

Although simple, it is carried out in accordance with specific patterns in any language. For example,