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(3) form v. substance and meaning. Hallidayan linguistic theory models lan-
guage in terms of three interdependent levels: the level of form (comprising
the grammatical and lexical organization of language) is distinguished from the
levels of substance and context.
(4) forms (of a unit). The variant realizations of a linguistic unit are referred to
as forms of the unit, i.e. the members of a set of paradigmatic alternatives.
For example, the forms of the verb walk are walk, walking, walks, etc.
(5) The critical characteristics of a linguistic theory, especially as stated in the
formalized terms of logic or mathematics, are referred to as the form of that
theory. In generative grammar, the formal characteristics of linguistic theory
have received special attention, especially in the notion of formal universals.
Formal semantics refers to analysis (in terms of truth conditions, etc.) of a
logical system, such as propositional calculus an approach which has come
to be applied to the study of natural languages (see Montague grammar).