Blog #2: Syntax

The definition of Syntax (Malo).

Introduction

Syntax is something we're all familiar with, whether we're aware of it or not. In simple terms, syntax is how words are "arranged" in sentences, as well as consisting of the rules that set these arrangements (Malo). Linguistically, English syntax is usually understood in word order, for example—subject, object, verb. So, if a sentence says "The dog ate his biscuit," the dog is the subject, ate is a verb, and biscuit is the object. Most English sentences adhere to that specific subject, object, verb rule, although different languages have different word orders. Of course, that's a simplification. We'll dive more into syntax in a second.

Citations used for this blog entry were "What Is Syntax - Definition, Examples, & Why It Matters" by Dominique Malo, "What Is Syntax?" by Dr. Tekla Bude, and "Syntax: Definition and Examples" by Richard Nordquist. Malo's blog post provides a simple definition of syntax in a format this is very similar to this blog you're currently reading, as well as listing examples and the different rules of syntax; this was one of the first results off of Google. Bude's transcript, being a Oregon State University Associate Professor of Engish Literature, discusses syntax more in depth; this was a source that was found after much internet searching. Nordquist's article was another source that wasn't swiftly found. However, his article details the different types of sentence structures found in English syntax. 

Summary

Syntax is a part of English grammar that is the "order of the words in a sentence", as syntax rules usually requires a sentence having a verb and a subject—as shown in the figure below—with the word order being "subject-verb-object" (Malo). Malo's blog also mentions that adjectives and adverbs must go before the word they're describing, and that sentences should really only have one idea. If a sentence has more than one idea or topic, it becomes messy. For example, without syntax, an English sentence may sound like: "Kicked the child the ball" or "The ball the child kicked" instead of "The child kicked the ball" (Bude). Bude notes that those other sentences may sound unusual, but in another language that sentence structure is the proper syntax. Bude also adds that English syntax sometimes does not strictly stick to these rules if a sentence is being written poetically, because we bend words and meanings to fit our needs. 

Moreover, other components of syntax include sentence structures. There's the simple sentence ("The girl ran") containing a subject and verb only, a compound sentence ("The girl ran the marathon, and her cousin did too") which has multiple subjects and verbs joined by a conjunction, a complex sentence, and a compound-complex sentence, as well (Nordquist). A complex sentence has what is called a dependent clause, which cannot function as a sentence by itself; meanwhile, a compound-complex sentence has a dependent and independent clause, which can function on its own. 

A syntax "tree" showing components of grammar set according to the rules of syntax.

Critical Analysis

Malo's blog entry "What is Syntax" was actually the most informational of the three sources, and provided much helpful information on the subject of syntax. It describes the rules of syntax, the types of syntax/sentences, examples of syntax in literature, and how syntax is used in writing. Overall, a great source. Bude's "What is Syntax?" is the more academic, scholarly source. Besides having the credential as an Oregon State Associate Professor, Bude's article is actually a transcript of their lecture. However, this article/transcript isn't very long, and only softly explores the subject of syntax. Although, Bude does breakdown how word order may be altered and depends on the language, which I cited in this blog, to give a sentence meaning. Nordquist's "Syntax: Definition and Examples" is more comprehensive and detailed, explaining syntax rules, sentence structures, and syntax variations. Once again, while Nordquist's article is a good source, the most informative source of the three was Malo's blog entry.

Connection to Coursework

At this point in the semester, we haven't truly gone over syntax. However, looking into our class textbook, I can see the subject of syntax is on the horizon, and it's been mentioned a few times already. I think learning about this will give me some knowledge to fall back on before we do, and hopefully provide some context to make connections to. In other words, I'm hopefully getting a small preview of what's to come in the course. If nothing else, it will be educational for myself.

Personal Reflection 

Besides providing me some knowledge to understand English syntax better, which was a subject I'd either forgotten about or misremembered somewhat, I got a refresher. Moreover, learning about this subject will set me up for success in this course, as well as being able to breakdown what syntax is for my own students or others. Syntax is a term that sometimes gets thrown around, and sometimes, we're just expected to remember exactly what syntax even is.

Citations

Bude, Tekla. “What Is Syntax? || Oregon State Guide to Grammar.” College of Liberal Arts, Oregon State University, 6 Feb. 2023, liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/wlf/what-syntax-oregon-state-guide-grammar.

Malo, Dominique Saint. “What Is Syntax - Definition, Examples & Why It Matters.” StudioBinder, 25 July. 2024, www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-syntax-definition/. 

Nordquist, Richard. "Definition and Examples of Syntax." ThoughtCo, 5 Sept, 2024, thoughtco.com/syntax-grammar-1692182.