domain (n.)

An extension of the general meaning of this WORD by some LINGUISTS to refer to the realm of application of any linguistic construct, e.g. the ‘domain’ of a RULE in a GRAMMAR would refer to the range of STRUCTURES to which that rule was applicable. In GENERATIVE linguistics, the term refers specifically to the parts of a TREE diagram deriving from any one NODE, i.e. the structure which the node DOMINATES. There are several applications, e.g. the ‘CYCLIC domain’ in PHONOLOGY (i.e. the constituents internal to the word to which phonological rules apply); the ‘harmonic domain’ in vowel or consonant HARMONY.

Domain is sometimes used in SEMANTICS to refer to the area of experience covered by the set of terms in a particular SEMANTIC FIELD, e.g. color terms, kinship terms.

In SOCIOLINGUISTICS domain refers to a group of institutionalized social situations typically constrained by a common set of behavioral rules, e.g. the domain of the family is the house, of religion is the church, etc. The notion is seen as of particular importance in the analysis of MULTILINGUAL settings involving several participants, where it is used to relate variations in the individuals’ choice and topic of language to broader sociocultural norms and expectations of interaction.