... of the rules or grammar of the language in question. The sounds that are used to communicate make up the phonology. These sounds are attributed meaning. The forms and meanings of sounds are usually arbitrary, except in the case of onomatopoeia. Knowledge of the sound (or sign) system is not the only thing necessary for the understanding and usage of a language. The manner in which the words are structured is the morphology. Words are than used to make up phrases; the way in which this is done is governed by syntax. In addition a deep knowledge of the meaning and sounds of words, known as semantics, is necessary for the understanding of a language, as is knowledge of the words themselves, the lexicon. Although there is at any given time a finite number of words in any given language there is an infinite number of combinations, or phrases, that ...

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