relation (n.)

A general term used in PHONETICS and LINGUISTICS to refer to the linguistically significant connections between two or more ELEMENTS in a LANGUAGE, such as EQUIVALENCE, CONTRAST, INCLUSION, GOVERNMENT. In GRAMMATICAL analysis, for example, the FUNCTIONAL role which a NOUN PHRASE has in relation to a VERB can be identified by using such terms as SUBJECT, OBJECT, AGENT, COMPLEMENT, etc. These relational notions are central to some theories (e.g. CASE grammar, RELATIONAL GRAMMAR), and of marginal importance in others (e.g. ASPECTS-MODEL grammars). In SEMANTICS, the correspondences between LEXICAL items of similar, opposed etc., MEANINGS are referred to as sense relations, and classified under such headings as SYNONYMY and ANTONYMY. At the most general level, linguistic relations can be classified into SYNTAGMATIC and PARADIGMATIC types. Several other applications will also be encountered within particular theories (e.g. COGNITIVE GRAMMAR).