Final answer:
Language has specific components: lexicon and grammar. Lexicon refers to the words of a given language, while grammar refers to the set of rules used to convey meaning through the use of the lexicon. Syntax refers to the order of words in a sentence.
Step-by-step explanation:
Language, be it spoken, signed, or written, has specific components: a lexicon and grammar. Lexicon refers to the words of a given language. Thus, the lexicon is a language's vocabulary. Grammar refers to the set of rules that are used to convey meaning through the use of the lexicon (Fernández & Cairns, 2011). For instance, English grammar dictates that most verbs receive an "-ed" at the end to indicate past tense.
Syntax refers to how words are organized into sentences. It is the order of the words in a sentence. For example, in the play Hamlet, when Polonius says "To thine own self be true," he orders the syntax used in contemporary spoken language differently ("be true to yourself"). Writers often manipulate syntax for rhetorical effect.