The document discusses the six levels of language study: 1. Phonetics is the study of sounds and phonemes that make up words. 2. Phonology focuses on how phonemes are structured in a language. 3. Morphology examines how phonemes combine to form words. 4. Syntax analyzes how words are arranged into sentences. 5. Semantics connects words and phrases to their meanings. 6. Pragmatics studies how words and phrases function in different contexts. Understanding these six levels provides insight into how language works from sounds to meaning.

1. RUNNING HEAD:ENG 403 ADVANCED STYLE AND REGISTER IN ENGLISH 1
CAT I
By
Okello Wilberforce Esonga
21/02258
Submitted to:
Dr: Janet Achieng Onyango
Course
Advanced Style and Register in English (ENG 403)
KCA University
Program: Bachelor of Education (Arts)-DL
Program Code: KCABEDUORD
Date: 21/02/2023

2. RUNNING HEAD:ENG 403 ADVANCED STYLE AND REGISTER IN ENGLISH 2
Using examples describe the different levels of language study. (15 Marks)
Aspects of language are often referred to as ‘language levels’. To look carefully at
language to see how it works. There are various different aspects of language structure which
need separate consideration. These are often referred to by linguists as the different levels of
language. If we just think of a single sentence for the moment, we would need at least the
following levels: Phonetics, Phonology, Morphology, Syntax, Semantics and Pragmatics.
The study of language has six distinct stages. They go into detail about everything from
the sounds we make to construct language to the circumstances in which utterances occur.
Phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics cover the spectrum from
the most specific to the most general aspects of language.
Phonetics is the study of the building blocks of language, the sounds that make up words
(phonemes), and the processes by which we articulate those Due to the fact that we construct
words using these phonemes, this is the first and most fundamental level of analysis. The
International Phonetic Alphabet was developed to help phoneticians analyze the fundamentals of
speech in a variety of languages without being hindered by differences in how individual
languages represented phonemes. The physiological processes that lead to articulated speech are
also discussed in the field of phonetics.
The study of phonology focuses on deciphering how a language or dialect's phonemes are
structured. It investigates the norms by which a language establishes the pronunciation of its
words. With an understanding of phonology, we can see why a Spanish-speaking learner of
English might pronounce "street" and "stop" as "eh-street" and "eh-stop," respectively.
Morphology studies how these phonetic building blocks combine to form words. This
area of study can shed light on our eerie ability to comprehend previously unheard words. The
Simpsons' "embiggens" is a fantastic example of this. Despite being a made-up word for the

3. RUNNING HEAD:ENG 403 ADVANCED STYLE AND REGISTER IN ENGLISH 3
show, the morphemes (em + big + ens) are common to English speakers and work in ways
similar to many other English words. These characteristics are familiar to us individually, so
their combination into this fabricated noun is not too difficult to decipher.
The study of syntax is analogous to that of morphology, except that it focuses on how
words and phrases are put together in sentences. In this area, researchers examine the processes
by which human speakers arrange words into meaningful sentences. Syntax explains why "I have
to go to the bathroom" and "the bathroom I have to go to" have distinct meanings despite
containing the same words.
The semantic level marks the outward expansion of these ideas. Word meanings are the
focus of this type of analysis. It connects what we say with the real world. To grasp the meaning
of a word or phrase, one must be able to identify the concept or idea to which it refers. The study
of semantics investigates the potential for confusion resulting from the multiple references to
which a single word may be referring.
Pragmatics is very similar to semantics; the main difference is that it focuses on the study
of words, phrases, and utterances in their natural contexts rather than in isolation. For instance,
the phrase "I'm going to drop off the keys" seems to have a very specific meaning even when
removed from its surrounding context. But picture a scenario in which this was said over the
phone during a transaction involving the sale of a black market service. Keys could mean money
or the illegal good being exchanged if both parties are aware of the transaction but wish to
conceal it with coded language. Pragmatics examines how words and phrases function in their
context and the purposes of each utterance.
Applying these linguistic analysis stages to other fields can yield interesting results.
Communication is the bedrock of any successful society. Without the ability to speak and

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understand one another, our daily interactions would be severely limited. Understanding the
world around you requires first mastering this fundamental aspect of our existence.