Difference between Diachronic and Synchronic Linguistics

Diachronic Linguistics Synchronic Linguistics

Study of change in language Study of the elements and usage
over time. of a language at a particular
moment.
Study of words as they change Study of words as they work
meaning, inflection, syntax, form together in the same time
etc. frame.
Word’s meaning changes from In Synchronic linguistics ‘Pot’
one century to the next. means a cooking utensil, but at
the same time it also means
Marijuana, and the ‘chips to be
competed for in a poker game.’
This type of linguistics explains Synchronic linguistics explains
how ‘thee’ and ‘thou’ changed how words get their connotation
to ‘you’ or why some words like 'Cop', ‘Police officer’,
contracted like ‘won’t’ and ‘Flatfoot’, ‘Fuzz’.
‘Can’t’, or why the syntax of
noun and modifier is different in
English and French.
Diachronic linguistics studies Synchronic linguist compares
Chaucer and Shakespeare for Hemingway’s use of modifiers
their contributions to the (adjectives and adverbs) and
growth of the English language. Joyce’s attempts to exhaust the
English language.

Saussure believed that a good synchronic approach made a diachronic approach

unnecessary. He explained with the example of chess. As a chess game
progresses, the value of a piece changes according to its location (which is
example of diachronic). But using a synchronic approach, it can be understand
that how pieces interacting at a given time, according to the chess rules. Recent
theorists acknowledge the benefits of this approach.

In further explanation, a diachronic analysis shows the evolution of the game,

that how pieces changes their values as time passes. The synchronic analysis
focus on the interaction of the pieces which explains the rules of the game in
other words.