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OP
OP
First I will break it down so that there is better knowledge of each word, then I will put them together for the full understanding.
“Linguistic”
Main Entry: linguistic
Pronunciation: li[ng]-'gwis-tik
Variant(s): also linguistical /-ti-k&l/
Function: adjective
: of or relating to language or linguistics
1. of language: relating to language or languages
2. of linguistics: relating to linguistics
Consulting a thesaurus you would receive these words: language, verbal, philological, dialectal, etymological, phonological, morphological, semantic, grammatical, syntactical.
“Word”
Main Entry: 1word
Pronunciation: 'w&rd
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German wort word, Latin verbum, Greek eirein to say, speak, Hittite weriya- to call, name
1 a : something that is said b plural (1) : TALK, DISCOURSE <putting one's feelings into words> (2) : the text of a vocal musical composition c : a brief remark or conversation <would like to have a word with you>
2 a (1) : a speech sound or series of speech sounds that symbolizes and communicates a meaning without being divisible into smaller units capable of independent use (2) : the entire set of linguistic forms produced by combining a single base with various inflectional elements without change in the part of speech elements b (1) : a written or printed character or combination of characters representing a spoken word <the number of words to a line> -- sometimes used with the first letter of a real or pretended taboo word prefixed as an often humorous euphemism <the first man to utter the f word on British TV -- Time> <we were not afraid to use the d word and talk about death -- Erma Bombeck> (2) : any segment of written or printed discourse ordinarily appearing between spaces or between a space and a punctuation mark c : a number of bytes processed as a unit and conveying a quantum of information in communication and computer work
3 : ORDER, COMMAND <don't move till I give the word>
4 :often capitalized a : LOGOS b : GOSPEL 1a c : the expressed or manifested mind and will of God
5 :divine reason: in Christian theology, the divine rational principle as epitomized by Jesus Christ
6. Word or Word of God Christian holy scriptures: in Christianity, the Bible or Scriptures, considered as revealing divine truth
7 a : NEWS, INFORMATION <sent word that he would be late> b : RUMOR
8 : the act of speaking or of making verbal communication
9 : SAYING, PROVERB
10 : PROMISE, DECLARATION <kept her word>
11 : a quarrelsome utterance or conversation -- usually used in plural <they had words and parted>
12 : a verbal signal : PASSWORD
Consulting a thesaurus you would receive these words plus a myriad of other ones associated with it: account, adage, advice, announcement, behest, bidding, countersign, chat, chitchat, colloquy, confab, identification.
From the definitions given, it is readily apparent that there are a few meanings which could be construed from a person’s first glance. It is in my experience though that this is the case with many of the forms for which we place words. The placement within a sentence structure can change the meaning of a word just as the topographical location can change how a word is received by its people.
Normally when I choose to employ the term, I use the definition of “Linguistic” 1. of language: relating to language or languages in conjunction with “Word” 2 b (1): a written or printed character or combination of characters representing a spoken word.
It is my hope that this catechization offers a better understanding of what I mean when I employ the use of the term “Linguistic Word.”
Rev. Alimae
Rev. Alimae
Bingley
Bingley
OP
Interjections are traditionally counted as one of the parts of speech, just like nouns and verbs. However, every word of English is considered a member of some part of speech, so that calling an interjection a word is also correct. The simplest way to classify them is by using the process of exclusion; when you have determined that a word is not one of any of the other parts of speech, it must be an interjection. There is of course the problem of drawing the line between an interjection and a _noise_. That is, when someone says "Ouch!" we recognize that as a word and classify it as an interjection; but there are many sounds a person might make in response to sudden pain that aren't recognized as words at all --- for example, there might be a sudden hiss caused by drawing the breath in sharply through closed teeth after someone had accidentally touched a hot stove. That hiss would not be either a word or an interjection. English adult speakers usually make the distinction along the following lines:
When he touched the hot stove he said, "Ouch!"
When he touched the hot stove he went "Sssssssssssssssss!"
More examples of non-linguistic words are:
tsk tsk
hee hee
ummmm
etc.
Usually the classification is semantic, ie, by what meaning they convey usually (eg, surprise, awe, pain, (dis)agreement, etc.)
I hope this answers your question.
Rev. Alimae
Rev. Alimae
OP
It is my hope that it will further explain my reasoning for starting this post.
Rev. Alimae
Rev. Alimae
Interjections (and sometimes particles) cause trouble for folks but they don't usually get excluded from language on those grounds. Words like tsk-tsk (actually two avleolar clicks) have meaning and can be used inappropriately. If I utter ha ha when somebody burns himself, I should probably be prepared for a bit of trouble. Same if I say ouch when somebody tells me they've just named their baby "Jane". To me that's semantics and pragmatics.
The whole parts of speech concept is problematic, but the word "word" has a certain meaning vis-a-vis language, and I don't think we should exclude words like hmmm or d'oh from the language just because they don't fit into our linguistic framework. Linguists have traditionally had problems with the left over bits that don't fit into their current theory du jour. A great book that discusses this problem is Jean-Jacques LeCercle's The Violence of Language and to a lesser extent his Philosophy of Nonsense: The Intuitions of Victorian Nonsense Literature. OTOH, some linguists are interested in these left-over bits. Glossolalia is one interesting phenomenon where semantics and words part ways.
One interesting thing about interjections is that new pronunciations have come about because of their spellings, e.g., tsk-tsk being pronounced by some as tisk-tisk.
http://www.linguistlist.org/~ask-ling/archive-most-recent/msg07678.html
http://www.linguistlist.org/~ask-ling/archive-most-recent/msg07670.html
I hadn't notice the scare quotes around Professor Papen's use of the term non-linguistic words in his answer on the Ask-a-Linguist part of the Linguist List. I've never run across the term before, but here are two linguists using it. The other uses seem to refer to nonsense syllables being generated in psychological tests having to do with memorization and recognition of "non-word" words. Anyway, it's not a term that I'd use, as its meaning seems to be a one-off coined by one (or two) linguists.
Another interesting bit is the questioning woman's email address. It's two-letter, top-level domain, country code indicates origin in Micronesia (i.e., fm), but the site is a Polish language free email service. Protection against spam or just plain anonymity. She does sign herself "Rachel Green". Hmm, rather than tsk-tsk.
Y'all should just take a page from the humantitarian grammarians' theory de sičcle and simply dismiss them as being wrong.
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