Syntax vs. Semantics: Differences Between Syntax and Semantics

Syntax refers to the rules of grammar in sentence structure—the way that words are ordered to form sentences. Strong syntax is marked by subject-verb agreement, proper word choice, and putting phrases or words in the correct order. In linguistic communication, a shared language makes it easy for people to express ideas and understand one another, and syntax offers a guidebook so everyone can possess the same grammatical rules to communicate clearly and efficiently.

Syntax may seem like a conceptual term, but put into practice, its significance and linguistic meaning become clear.

• Subject plus verb agreement: Sentences are often structured as subject plus verb plus direct object. For example, “She tossed the ball.” The syntactic analysis of this sentence is that “she” is the subject, “tossed” is the verb, and “the ball” is the direct object. This sentence’s meaning is clear, and it fits into a natural language English speakers share.
• Independent and dependent clauses: Syntax also uses a combination of independent and dependent clauses. An independent clause is one that can act as a stand-alone sentence, such as “She tossed the ball.” A dependent clause is one that is not a complete sentence but might give more context to or support the independent clause. You can add a dependent clause to a simpler sentence to enrich it: “After building up her strength for several weeks, she tossed the ball all the way from left field to home plate.” Everything up to the comma in that sentence acts as a dependent clause to modify the independent clause.

Semantics refers to the meaning of a sentence. Without proper semantics—and a thoughtful, grammatically correct ordering of words—the meaning of a sentence would be completely different. Linguists break semantics down into various categories, including lexical semantics, which is the study of word meanings and relations. On the other hand, conceptual semantics looks at the ways in which semantics are understood and acquired by people sharing a language.

Semantics can change the meaning of a sentence with the order of the words and the use of deixis.

• Word order: Consider the sentences “She tossed the ball” and “The ball tossed her.” In the first, the subject of the sentence is actively tossing a ball, while in the latter she is the one being tossed by a ball. Even though it is a grammatically correct sentence, the latter makes less sense and doesn’t sound plausible.
• Deixis: Semantics can also rely on deixis, or common words that give context to a place, time, or person. Words like “yesterday” or “he” or “here” are examples of deixis and can help with semantics, or the meaning of a sentence. For example, “He’s coming to dinner” is a sentence that sparks urgency, whereas “He’s coming to dinner tomorrow”—the indexical word being tomorrow—implies that the person or people prepping for the dinner have more time to prepare.

Both syntax and semantics are key parts in the philosophy of language but have unique linguistic meanings. Put simply, syntax refers to grammar, while semantics refers to meaning. Syntax is the set of rules needed to ensure a sentence is grammatically correct; semantics is how one’s lexicon, grammatical structure, tone, and other elements of a sentence coalesce to communicate its meaning.

Pragmatics considers the semantics of a sentence but in a given context. As the word pragmatic implies, this linguistic expression is concerned less with literal meaning and more with the practical interpretation of a sentence. Take this sentence: “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.” The semantics of that sentence are clear enough: The speaker is hungry and would consider eating a horse. Pragmatics considers the words of this sentence in context; the sentence presupposes that the speaker might not literally want to eat a horse but is, instead, expressing their state of hunger hyperbolically.

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