Introduction

The introduction of several application-oriented domains of linguistics (e.g., lexicography, language teaching, language technology, educational technology, etc.) requires information about the frequency of use of various word-formative elements used in a language. This is required for verification and validation of observations made by earlier scholars about the language in question as well as for developing language teaching materials and designing systems and tools for language technology. Keeping such needs in view, in this chapter, I have tried to assemble some information regarding the frequency and patterns of use of some word-formative elements in Bengali. It is very much necessary to know the frequency of use of various word-formative elements in the language as information of this kind help readers know the basic form and function of the elements based on which one can provide better information about the surface form and formation of the Bengali words in general.

For simplification of understanding, the phrase ‘word formative elements’ has been used in a general sense to include all articles, particles, enclitics, negative markers, emphatic markers, person markers, number markers, gender markers, tense markers, aspect markers, case markers and other linguistic items that are used to produce Bengali words. It is known that all these word-formative elements are used in different orders and sequence, in various ways and manners, at different places of the basic forms to generate the final surface forms of the words. So it is necessary to know in which frequency these formative elements are used; how these are arranged in linear sequential order; and how these elements take part in formation of surface forms of words.

While information about the frequency of use of these elements may provide necessary inputs for describing a language from empirical perspective and for developing an authentic usage-based dictionary the language, information about the patterns of linear arrangement of these elements in formation of words may supply necessary guidance for developing grammars and designing language teaching materials.