A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics David Crystal

ludling 291
LP rule
see linear precedence rule
ludic (adj.) A term sometimes used in linguistics to refer to language whose
primary function is to be part of play, as in the nonsense, repetitive rhythms,
and rhymes heard in children’s games all over the world. Ludicity also affects
adults, who may play with language by adopting silly tones of voice or by
twisting words into unorthodox shapes to create a humorous effect (see ludling,
verbal play).
ludling (n.) A term used in an approach to the formal definition of language
games (e.g. play languages, speech disguises, secret languages); from Latin ludus
(‘play’) + lingua (‘language’). The focus is on the distinctive structure such
games display. In particular, their morphological system is limited to a small
number of operations superimposed on ordinary language (e.g. infixation,
syllable reversal), its affixes are very few (often only one), and the added
elements have no meaning. Ludling operations are seen as extensions of ordinary
language processes (see restricted language), and their study has proved
attractive in non-linear approaches to phonology and morphology, where
they are often referred to as part of the evidence supporting a particular theoretical
construct (e.g. the notion of a skeletal tier).