🈳 No word endings 🚪 Causing separation

isolative

9.9

A kind of language where words are usually a single part and grammar comes from word order

adjective
/ˈaɪsəˌleɪtɪv/

Specialized

: aislante

Vietnamese is considered an isolative language because it uses word order instead of inflection.

Examples

Chinese is another example of an isolative language with minimal grammatical endings.
In isolative languages, each word usually consists of a single morpheme.
English is considered an isolative language.
Many linguists study isolative languages to understand their structure.
Vietnamese is considered an isolative language because it uses word order instead of inflection.
In isolative languages, each word usually consists of a single morpheme.
Chinese is another example of an isolative language with minimal grammatical endings.

Synonyms

isolating

vsisolative

Specialized

1 8.8

A language where each word usually has one meaning and grammar comes from word order and small words

is the same idea but names the feature in a different adjectival form

Antonyms

inflected

Specialized

7.2

Words that change endings to show tense, number, or case

synthetic

Specialized

7.2

Of a language that makes words by joining parts to show meaning

How Isolating

isolative

Specialized

9.9

analytic

Specialized

6.8

synthetic

Specialized

7.2

Surface Forms

isolative positive

Morphology

isolative = isolate (transparent) = isolate + ive

The adjective is directly derived from the verb 'isolate' with a standard adjectival suffix '-ive', so the meaning 'relating to isolation' is predictable.

Etymology

Isolative comes from isolate, which traces back to the Latin insula meaning 'island'. So an isolative language is like a line of little islands: each word stands 'alone' and grammar is shown by 'word order' instead of word endings.