Language Units and Speech Units
| Level | Unit of language | Unit of speech |
| Phonemic | phoneme | sound |
| Morphemic | morpheme | morph |
| Lexemic | lexeme (word) | wordform |
| Syntactic | sentence text | utterance discourse |
A linguistic unit can enter into relations of two different kinds: paradigmatic relations and syntagmatic relations(Fig. 5). It enters into paradigmaticrelationswith all the units that can also occur in the same environment. Paradigmaticrelationsare relations based on the principles of similarity. They exist between the units that can substitute one another. According to different principles of similarity paradigmaticrelationscan be of three types: semantic, formal and functional.
Ø Semantic paradigmaticrelationsare based on the similarity of meaning.
Ø Formal paradigmaticrelationsare based on the similarity of forms. Such relations exist between the members of a paradigm.
Ø Functional paradigmaticrelationsare based on the similarity of function. They are established between the elements that can occur in the same position.
Paradigmaticrelationsare associated with the sphere of ‘language’.
A linguistic unit enters into syntagmatic relations with other units of the same level it occurs with. Syntagmatic relations exist at every language level. They can be of three different types: coordinate, subordinate and predicative.
Ø Coordinate syntagmatic relations exist between the homogeneous linguistic units that are equal in rank, that is, they are the relations of independence.
Ø Subordinate syntagmatic relations exist are the relations of dependence when one linguistic unit depends on the other.
Ø Predicative syntagmatic relations are the relations of interdependence.
Syntagmatic relations are observed in utterances.
Semantic Formal Functional Coordinate Subordinate Predicative
Fig. 5
Therefore, paradigmaticrelationsare identified with ‘language’ while syntagmatic relations are identified with ‘speech’ (Table 3).
Table 3
Systemic Relations in Language
| Level | Syntagmatic relations | Paradigmatic relations |
| Phonemic | b=o=y | <b>oy <t>oy |
| Morphemic | boy=s | boy <>– boy<s> |
| Derivational | teach=er | teach<er> – teach<ing> |
| Lexemic | good=teacher | good – bad |
| Syntactic | A=teacher=is=giving=a= lecture | A teacher is giving a lecture. – A teacher is giving a lecture, isn’t she? |
MORPHOLOGY