Natural Language Processing: Syntax, Semantics, and Key Techniques

Rahul S
2 min readAug 26, 2023

In the realm of Natural Language Processing (NLP), understanding the nuances of language is essential for tasks ranging from language generation to sentiment analysis. This foundation rests upon two pillars: Syntax and Semantics. Together, they provide the framework for comprehending and generating human language.

SYNTAX

Syntax is the structural backbone of language, encompassing the grammatical rules that govern how words, phrases, and clauses are arranged to construct valid sentences.

It ensures that a sentence conforms to the correct order and usage of linguistic elements within a specific language. A syntactically correct sentence adheres to these grammatical rules, ensuring that its structural elements align correctly.

However, for a sentence to be semantically correct, it must not only adhere to syntax but also convey a meaningful message. This requires that the constituent words and their arrangement make sense in the real-world context.

SYNTACTIC ANALYSIS

Syntactic Analysis is the process of examining text to discern and enforce the grammatical rules specific to a particular language. This process often involves techniques such as parsing, which deconstructs sentences into their…

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