Language disorder is impaired comprehension and/or use of spoken, written, and/or other symbol systems. The disorder may involve he form of language (phonology, morphology, syntax), the content of the language (semantics), and/or the function of language in communication (pragmatics) in any combination.
- Form of Language
Phonology is the sound system of a language and the rules that govern the sound combinations.
Morphology is the system that governs the structure of words and the construction of word forms.
Syntax is the system governing the order and combination of words to form sentences and the relationships among the elements within a sentence.
- Content of Language
Semantics is the system that governs the meanings of words and sentences.
- Function of Language
Pragmatics is the system that combines the language components (phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics) in functional and socially appropriate ways.
Language disorders may include:
Impaired language development – characterized by a marked slowness or gaps in the development of language skills.
Aphasia – the loss of acquired language abilities, generally resulting from stroke or brain injury.