Syntax refers to the structure of language, particularly word order, and can imply complexity. It is contrasted with parataxis, which is simpler. Syntax can also refer to the arrangement of linguistic units and is used in computer programming to describe the exact lines of code. John Milton’s Paradise Lost is an example of complex syntax.
Syntax is a specific type of linguistic term that implies a tendency towards more complex syntax. The word has also been used for some technologies and products in the modern IT world. Syntax is the word for the exact structure of communications in a given language, particularly in reference to word order. Some use the word syntax to refer to uses of a language that favor intricate syntax, although this technical term is not a common part of linguistic analysis in many cases.
Being a word of somewhat obscure Greek origin, the word “syntax” is often contrasted with another word, “parataxis”, which is commonly used to mean a simpler use of syntax. These polar opposites can describe many different types of communications. For example, parataxis could be used by analysts to characterize some concise and direct forms of business communication. In contrast, a prime example of syntax is Paradise Lost, John Milton’s epic poem, which exhibits a great deal of syntactical complexity throughout its very long development.
Some also define syntax as a certain type of arrangement or ordering of linguistic units into coherent patterns. Here, the word syntax could be synonymous with detailed parsing. Some would contrast this with the word parataxis, which can also be used to refer to a simple construction that does not order or arrange its pieces, but arranges them in simple sequence. Again, the Paradise Lost example shows how writers could use language in complex ways; many academics would argue that the epic demonstrates a kind of deliberate “ordering” of text in complex ways to create specific effects.
While syntax and parataxis are very useful in the study of human languages, they can also be a part of studying computer programming. One of the most popular uses of word syntax in modern speech is in reference to the exact lines of code that computer programmers must write in order for programs to work properly. Since a computer, unlike the human mind, cannot generally have an intuitive perspective on input, but is based only on technical calculations, programmers must use an exact syntax for each line of code. Programmers who are analyzing the use of syntax in software development might use the word syntax to describe writing complex code, which presents its own challenges to developers.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
