nounwoord

Nounwoord is a fictional linguistic term used to denote a specific type of lexical item that functions as a noun while semantically referring to the concept of "a word" itself. The term blends the English noun with the Dutch woord, signaling its meta-lexical character. It is used in theoretical discussions and educational materials to illustrate how a word can be categorized syntactically as a noun while expressing abstract meaning.

Morphology and syntax: As a nominal, nounwoord takes determiners, can serve as subject or object, and may be pluralized in languages that mark number. Semantically it denotes the idea of a word rather than a physical object, making it a metalinguistic reference rather than a concrete noun. In cross-linguistic discussions, nounwoords help distinguish references to linguistic units from ordinary nouns.

Usage and examples: In analytic prose, nounwoords are introduced to discuss terminology or dictionary entries. A typical gloss might read: "The nounwoord denotes the abstract unit that expresses linguistic value." In classroom exercises, students may treat nounwoords as head nouns in nominal phrases to explore agreement, determiner use, and cross-language correspondences.

Relation to other concepts: Nounwoord is often contrasted with ordinary lexical items to highlight metalinguistic usage. It intersects with topics such as lexical category, syntactic theory, and dictionary semantics, where researchers examine how terms that name language itself function within sentences and analyses. Because it is a constructed concept, its practical definitions may vary across theoretical frameworks.