syntax
syntax — noun
1. the set of rules in a language that control how words are arranged to form corre
the set of rules in a language that control how words are arranged to form correct phrases, clauses, and sentences
The syntax of Japanese sentences differs greatly from that of English.
comparative syntax across languages
Sari's English teacher helped her understand basic syntax through simple sentence diagrams.
In Mr. Chen's class, Eri learned to change the syntax of "you like coffee" to form a question.
Chidi found that learning German syntax was harder than memorising new vocabulary.
The syntax of the old poem was so unusual that students needed help to follow it.
- grammar
broader term that includes syntax, morphology, and punctuation rules
- word order
one aspect of syntax, specifically the sequence of words in a sentence
- sentence structure
more general term that overlaps with syntax but can also refer to length and complexity
用法筆記
Syntax is usually studied as an uncountable noun. In language education, it focuses on word order and sentence patterns — distinct from morphology, which deals with word forms like prefixes and suffixes.
常見錯誤
2. the rules that determine how commands, symbols, and punctuation must be written
the rules that determine how commands, symbols, and punctuation must be written in a programming language so that a computer can understand them
Hao fixed the bug by checking the syntax of his Python code line by line.
A single missing semicolon can break the syntax of an entire JavaScript program.
syntax error: missing punctuation
The professor explained that every programming language has its own syntax for writing functions.
Camille's program failed to run because of a syntax error on line twelve.
Modern code editors highlight syntax errors in real time to help beginners learn faster.
- coding rules
informal term for the format requirements of a programming language
- language structure
focuses on the overall organisation of commands and expressions
- format rules
emphasises punctuation and indentation requirements
用法筆記
In computing, syntax can be countable (e.g. 'this language has two different syntaxes for loops') or uncountable. A syntax error means the code does not follow the language's required format and cannot be compiled or run.
常見錯誤
3. an organised structure in which the parts of something — such as music, art, or
an organised structure in which the parts of something — such as music, art, or a system — are arranged in a clear, logical order
The syntax of a musical composition can be as important as its melody.
syntax + music composition
Art historians studied the syntax of the cathedral's architectural elements.
The syntax of legal documents follows a strict internal logic that lawyers must learn.
During his guitar lesson, Dario learned the syntax of chord progressions in a twelve-bar blues.
- structure
simpler, more general term for how parts fit together
- arrangement
emphasises the order of elements rather than the rules behind the order
- organisation
focuses on how components are grouped or categorised
- logic
suggests an internal reasoning or principle behind the arrangement
- chaos
complete lack of structure or order
用法筆記
This sense is used in formal, academic, or abstract contexts outside of language and computing. It often appears in discussions of music theory, art criticism, logic, or systems theory.