metalinguistic
Discussing words themselves
Metalinguistic means about language itself rather than what language refers to.
A metalinguistic statement discusses words, grammar, or meaning: "Is 'data' singular or plural?" is a metalinguistic question.
Children develop metalinguistic awareness when they begin to think about how language works, not just use it.
Rules for arranging words
- semanticsStudy of linguistic meaning
- pragmaticsLanguage-in-context study
- phonologyScience of language sounds
- morphologyStudy of structural forms
grammar · lexicon · discourse · polysemy · homonymy · ambiguity · paradigm · diachronic
Examining one's own mind
- introspectionObserving one's own mind
- comprehensionMental understanding of meaning
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
- self-correctionFixing one's own errors
code-switching · hedging · clarification · rephrasing · paraphrasing · quotation · mention
Cited passage or price
- mentionBrief verbal acknowledgment
- hedgeBoundary of planted shrubs
- qualifierWord or phrase limiting meaning
- so-calledLabeled with skepticism
technically · literally · figuratively · namely · i.e. · e.g. · parenthetical · gloss
Fixing of mistakes
- definitionStatement of meaning
- explanationStatement making something clear
- clarificationMaking meaning plain
- annotationAdded explanatory comment
gloss · paraphrase · translation · interpretation · explication · elaboration · terminology · naming
syntax
Rules for arranging words
- semanticsStudy of linguistic meaning
- pragmaticsLanguage-in-context study
- phonologyScience of language sounds
morphology · grammar · lexicon · discourse · polysemy · homonymy · ambiguity · paradigm · diachronic · synchronic
self-reflection
Examining one's own mind
- introspectionObserving one's own mind
- comprehensionMental understanding of meaning
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
self-correction · code-switching · hedging · clarification · rephrasing · paraphrasing · quotation · mention
quotation
Cited passage or price
- mentionBrief verbal acknowledgment
- hedgeBoundary of planted shrubs
- qualifierWord or phrase limiting meaning
so-called · technically · literally · figuratively · namely · i.e. · e.g. · parenthetical · gloss · footnote
correction
Fixing of mistakes
- definitionStatement of meaning
- explanationStatement making something clear
- clarificationMaking meaning plain
annotation · gloss · paraphrase · translation · interpretation · explication · elaboration · terminology · naming · labeling
metalinguisticreferential
Pertaining to indication
denotative · substantive · propositional · semantic · first-order
metalinguisticconcrete
Solid building mixture
first-order · applied · practical · unreflective · ground-level
language, tongue, linguist, bilingual, linguistic, meta, linguistics, multilingual, monolingual