Paradigms, syntagms, codes and conventions

When we encode a message, consciously or unconsciously) we select from a huge number of possible signs.

The items we select from are grouped into categories called paradigms.

When we put our selection of items from several different paradigms together in a new way, we form a syntagm.

When we say "i bought a paper" we have formed a syntagm by selecting from various linguistic paradigms.

We cannot just pick any item from a paradigm and throw it in wiht any other item to form a syntagm: there are complex rules and conventions which govern the use of signs to form new syntagms. Amongst the most complex are those rules which apply to linguistic paradigms.