Chinese Mandarin syntax

2. The word “syntax” comes from the Ancient
Greek for “coordination” or “ordering
together.” In spoken and written language,
syntax refers to the set of rules that determines
the arrangement of words in a sentence. Along
with diction, it is one of the key ways writers
convey meaning in a text.
What is syntax in
writing?

3. What is the basic syntax
of a language?
Basic syntax represents the
fundamental rules of a
programming language.
Without these rules, it is
impossible to write
functioning code. Every
language has its own set of
rules that make up its basic
syntax. Naming conventions
are a primary component of
basic syntax conventions and
vary by language.

4. What is the syntax structure of language?
Syntax is the part of
linguistics that
studies the structure
and formation of
sentences. It explains
how words and
phrases are arranged
to form correct
sentences.

5. "Syntax skills help us
understand how
sentences work—the
meanings behind word
order, structure, and
punctuation. By
providing support for
developing syntax skills,
it can help readers
understand increasingly
complex texts“
- (Learner Variability
Project).
Why is syntax important in
language?

6. Grammar and syntax are not synonymous, but they
are related. Syntax is only a subdivision of
grammar.
Grammar represents an entire set of rules for language,
and syntax is one section of those rules. Think of syntax
as a chapter in a grammar book.
Grammar is the set of rules a language follows to convey
meaning. Grammar is a broad term that encompasses more
specific areas of study including:
• Morphology
• Phonology
• Semantics
• Syntax
•
•
•

7. How are Chinese
sentences written?
A common sentence structure is in
three parts: subject + predicate
(verb) + object. Unlike English,
most of the time in a simple
Chinese sentence, the predicate is a
verb, although sometimes it can be
an adjective.

8. How does
Chinese
syntax work?
• Basic Chinese sentence structure
follows the Subject-Verb-Object
(SVO) pattern.
• For example, we say 我爱你 (wǒ
ài nǐ) — I love you in Chinese with
the same sentence structure we
would in English.
Wo = I
Ai = love
Ni = you