Definition & Meaning of "analytic language"

What is an "analytic language"?

Analytic language, also known as isolating language, is a type of language that relies primarily on word order and auxiliary words to convey grammatical relationships, rather than inflections or affixes. In analytic languages, words typically have a single, fixed form, and meaning is often determined by their position in a sentence and by the use of additional words, such as prepositions or helping verbs. Examples of analytic languages include Mandarin Chinese and Vietnamese, where the arrangement of words and the use of context play a crucial role in understanding meaning.