What are the four fundamental elements that make a language?

The fundamental elements that make up a language can vary slightly depending on how language components are categorized, but a common framework includes:

1. Phonetics and Phonology: These elements involve the sounds of a language. Phonetics deals with the physical production, transmission, and reception of speech sounds, while phonology studies how those sounds are used and organized in a particular language.
2. Morphology: This refers to the structure of words. Morphology studies how words are formed from morphemes, which are the smallest grammatical units in a language.
3. Syntax: Syntax is concerned with the rules that govern the structure of sentences, dictating how words and phrases are arranged to convey meaning.
4. Semantics: Semantics involves the meanings of words and sentences. It studies how meaning is conveyed through language, including how different meanings interact and how they are interpreted in context.

The options you provided mix different components, some of which (like an alphabet) aren’t universally applicable to all languages, as not all languages are written nor do all written languages use alphabets (some use syllabaries or logograms). The most comprehensive approach to describing the fundamental elements of language typically includes phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.