INTRODUCTION TO LINGUUISTICS

1. INTRODUCTION TO LINGUUISTICS What is linguistics?

2. Some basic assumptions • There are more than 5,000 different languages in the world. • Each normal human child will learn one (or more) of these languages by simply growing up in an environment where the language is spoken. • Most of these languages are spoken rather than written. • Even in highly literate cultures, most daily language behavior is spoken. • Spoken language is primary!

3. More basic assumptions • Language use is mostly unconscious. • Children do not learn spoken language through direct instruction and speakers know more about their language than they can consciously explain. • Speakers possess a mental dictionary called the LEXICON. • Speakers possess a mental system of “rules” for combining items from the LEXICON into meaningful mental sequences: words, phrases, clauses, sentences. • The actual language behavior system links internal systems of “thought,” ”emotion” and “social intent” with physical “production” and “reception” systems of speech and hearing, or gesture systems such as ASL. • Sounds and gestures are the objective physical signs of subjective meaning or intention.

4. How to do linguistics • Linguists examine and analyze language behavior, language structure, language use, language diversity and language change. • Linguists DESCRIBE what they observe and attempt to EXPLAIN their observations in linguistic, cognitive and social scientific terms. • Linguists DO NOT PRESCRIBE proper or improper uses of language. • Linguists follow a DESCRIPTIVE approach. • School grammar mostly follows a PRESCRIPTIVE approach

5. Non-arbitrary (Iconic) signs • Signifier has a direct/causal relationship to signified. Examples: • Footprint = ‘a foot was here’ • Smoke = ‘there’s a fire’ • Fever = ‘your body has an infection’

6. Arbitrary signs • Signifier has NO direct/causal relationship to signifier. Examples: [ dOg }]= ‘four-legged pet that barks’ Bill hit Bob = ‘Bob is doer of action’ RED/YELLOW/GREEN = ‘stop, slow, go’ FLAG (object) = ??

7. Representational (mixed) signs • Meow, bow-wow, cockle-doodle-do, buzz, slap, • Sounds of the World's Animals • That’s a tall drink of water! • That’s a taaaall drink of water! • There’s big and then there’s BIG

8. Mixed Signs • Newar (Tibeto-Burman- Nepal) • khicaì ‘dog’ • khicaìta ‘dogs’ • khicaìkhaìcaì ‘bunch of dogs • macaì ‘child’ • mastaì ‘children’ • mastaìmistaì ‘bunch of children’

9. Representational (mixed) signs • Signifier has a part iconic/part arbitrary relationship to signifier. • I ate a Big Mac and I drank a milkshake. • I ate a Big Mac and I went home. • I ate a Big Mac and I got diarrhea.

10. Conceptual, Contextual, Interpersonal (Semantics and Pragmatics) Phonology/Phonetics (System of sounds and pronunciation) (Or Gesture system of ASL)

11. Conceptual, Contextual, Interpersonal (Semantics and Pragmatics) Lexicon (Mental Dictionary Phonology/Phonetics (System of sounds and pronunciation) (Or Gesture system of ASL)

12. Conceptual, Contextual, Interpersonal (Semantics and Pragmatics) Syntax (Grammar) Morphology (Word formation) Lexicon (Mental Dictionary Phonology/Phonetics (System of sounds and pronunciation) (Or Gesture system of ASL)

13. A simple model CONCEPTUAL (SEMANTIC)-EMOTIVE-INTERPERSONAL-CULTURAL LEXICON SYNTAX MORPHOLOGY PHONOLOGICAL SYSTEM PHONETIC OR GESTURAL SYSTEMS

14. The mental “black box” CONCEPT: (CHASE) TIGER, SELF TIGER = DOER, PLURAL SELF = VICTIM TIME = PAST ‘TIGER’ [ tai.g@r }] ‘CHASE’ [ tSes} ] SPEAKER = SELF [ mi ] S = NP + VP VP = V + NP Noun + plural [-s]l Verb + past [-ed] t§ai.g@r-s tSes-Ed mi t§ai.grz tSest.mi