Metalinguistic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Referring to the analysis or reflection on language and its structures, exploring how language functions beyond mere communication
2. Pertaining to the awareness or discussion of language as a system, emphasizing the features and properties of linguistic forms
3. Involving the examination of language itself, focusing on aspects such as meaning, usage, and the relationship between language and thought

Etymology: Metalinguistic is a straightforward compound: the Greek prefix "meta-", meaning "beyond" or "after" in the sense of looking at something from a higher level, attached to "linguistic". The sense is that of talking about language itself, rather than using it to talk about the world. Think of "metadata", data about data, built on the same prefix. The adjective "linguistic" goes back to Latin "lingua", "tongue", which is the same root behind "language" and "lingual". The Latin word traces back to an older Italic form, and the suffix "-istic" comes through Latin and French from Greek, forming adjectives tied to a field of study, which is why "linguistic" means "relating to language" rather than "relating to tongues". Put together, "metalinguistic" describes awareness of language as an object of thought. A speaker who knows that "ain't" is nonstandard, or who can explain why "I saw him yesterday" is past tense, is showing metalinguistic knowledge.