Structural is an adjective that allows us to refer to that which is linked to a structure . Structure, on the other hand, is called the organization or form of something .
With etymological origin in the Latin word structūra , structure can refer to the relationship between the parts of a whole . At a general level it can be said that the structure is what supports or sustains the whole.
What is structural
As for the meaning of structural, it is about what is typical of a structure. The term is used in various expressions for the development of different concepts .
Many times we find the idea of structural in the field of construction . In fact, we speak of structural construction to name the design and implementation of works such as buildings and bridges.
Structural construction aims to achieve buildings that are safe, have good resistance and are suitable for the fulfillment of their functions. The aim is for structures to be able to withstand live loads and dead loads and to be able to cope with natural factors (such as rain and wind).
On the other hand, it is common for constructions to refer to structural elements . These pieces provide stability and resistance , such as beams, columns and walls.
The concept in grammar
Linguistics is the science whose object of study is language. The branch of linguistics that analyzes the characteristics, combination and organization of the elements that make up a language is called grammar .
There are different types of grammar , according to your subject of interest. Structural grammar is developed from the consideration that all the components of a language establish systematic links between themselves .
For structural grammar, therefore, the facts of language constitute a system whose elements establish links of dependence and solidarity. The Swiss Ferdinand de Saussure , noted as the founder of linguistic structuralism, maintained that it is these relationships that allow the units of language to be defined.
The structural versus the conjunctural
It is common for the notion of structural to be opposed to the conjunctural . Broadly speaking, it can be stated that what is structural is maintained in the long term, while what is temporary is temporary and depends on a precise moment.
The structural part is part of a long-standing, historical situation, so changing it is very difficult. A poor society, for example, finds in the lack or deficiency of basic services (access to health , education, etc.) a structural problem with a very complex resolution.
The conjunctural, on the contrary, is understood as something that can be resolved or reversed in the short term or naturally. A rich country may go through certain economic difficulties due to an unusual drought that affects agriculture and livestock; When this atypical phenomenon is behind us, the economy will most likely recover. This nation, in this way, faces a current problem.