Syntagmas

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of words or symbols arranged to convey meaning in a coherent structure
2. A linguistic unit where each component combines sequentially to form phrases or sentences
3. The arrangement of elements in a linear sequence that collectively creates a specific interpretive context

Etymology: In ancient Greek, "syntagma" meant something put in order: a body of troops drawn up in formation, or a formal written ordinance. It derives from "syntassein," "to arrange together," built from "syn-" (together) and "tassein" (to set in order). The linguistic sense is a modern development, borrowed from the French "syntagme," which the Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure used for units that follow one another in a chain of speech. The shift runs from the parade ground to the sentence. Soldiers standing in rank became words standing in a line, each combining with its neighbours to make a larger whole. "Syntagmas" is the regular English plural, while "syntagmata" keeps the Greek plural and appears mostly in technical writing.