The second level of the comprehensive presentation of a language bears a meta-relation to the first level, as it contains a scientific systematization of the data presented at level 1.
The comprehensive description of a language consists of two main parts, the description of its system and the description of its setting. The system of the language, in turn, consists of the significative system and distinctive systems as shown in the diagram.
| Level 2: | System of the language | |||
| Significative system | Distinctive systems | |||
| Lexicon | Grammar | Primary: Phonology | Secondary: Writing | |
The significative system is the system of signs. It comprises the lexicon and the grammar. Its description explains how sound is mapped onto meaning in this language.
The distinctive systems are systems of the expression side of linguistic signs. For a natural language, at least the phonology with its phonetics is described. There is usually also an account of the writing system.
In the case of a gesture language, there is a gesture system instead of the phonology; and this is mapped onto meaning in the significative system.