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WHAT IS LANGUAGE?

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urvi
19 diapositives · 994 Views · Aug 21, 2014

WHAT IS LANGUAGE?. Introduction to Linguistics. WHAT IS LANGUAGE?. The design features of a language (Charles Hockett). Mode of communication Semanticity Pragmatic function Interchangeability Cultural transmission Arbitrariness Discreteness Displacement Productivity. Arbitrariness.

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WHAT IS LANGUAGE?
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  1. WHAT IS LANGUAGE? Introduction to Linguistics

  2. WHAT IS LANGUAGE?

  3. The design features of a language (Charles Hockett) • Mode of communication • Semanticity • Pragmatic function • Interchangeability • Cultural transmission • Arbitrariness • Discreteness • Displacement • Productivity

  4. Arbitrariness

  5. Evidence for arbitrariness

  6. Discreteness/duality of patterning

  7. Productivity • All human languages use a finite set of linguistic data to generate an infinite set of possible sentences – the creative aspect of language

  8. .

  9. A mystery: where does language come from? (1) • Ding-Dong • humans make to mimic the sounds of the world around them. • boom = explosion • oink = the sound made by a pig. • Bow-wow • humans form their first words by imitating animal sounds. • It seems difficult to accept that humans learned to speak to one another by talking to the animals.

  10. A mystery: where does language come from? (2) • Pooh-pooh • the first words developed from sighs of pleasure, moans of pain, and other semi-involuntary cries or exclamations. • Uh-oh • human language begins with the use of arbitrary symbols that represent warnings to other members of the human band. • Yo-he-ho • language arose in rhythmic chants and vocalisms uttered by people engaged in communal labour.

  11. A mystery: where does language come from? (3) • Language is a human instinct • Human beings are born with the ability to speak language. • Universal Grammar (UG)

  12. Universal Grammar (UG) • Definition • The properties that all human languages share. • Feature • Innateness • Human beings are born with language ability. • Evidence • Children can acquire languages they are exposed to with ease.

  13. What does it mean by saying you speak Mandarin Chinese ? • Linguistically, you possess the linguistic knowledge of Mandarin Chinese. • Sounds • Words • Sentences

  14. Linguistic Knowledge • Knowledge of sound system • The inventory of sounds in a language • Chinese: [+l], [-r]. Lai, *rai • The possible arrangement of sound sequences • English: [nuk]; [snuk]; *[sknuk]; *[mnuk] • Chinese: [mau]; [myau]; *[aum]; *[yaum] • Knowledge of words • Form and meaning => arbitrary • Knowledge of sentences and non-sentences • All students love linguistics; • *Love linguistics all students

  15. Competence vs. Performance • Competence • What you know about linguistic knowledge • A perfect linguistic system • Performance • How you use this linguistic knowledge in actual speech production and comprehension • Example: • Competence: • John likes German cars. • Performance: You don’t • *John like German car.

  16. What is grammar? • What a speaker knows about language. • Linguistic knowledge, competence • Components • Phonology • Morphology • Syntax • lexicon

  17. Types of grammar • Descriptive grammar • To describe what you know about grammar • John is the person who/whom I met yesterday. • 暴露 [bau lou], [pou lou] • Prescriptive grammar • To tell you how you should use about grammar • John is the person *who/whom I met yesterday. • 暴露 *[bau lou], [pou lou] • Teaching grammar • Used to learn a language

  18. Do you agree… • Apes and dogs have their own languages. We just don’t understand them. • The Formosan languages (e.g., Paiwan, Atayal) are aboriginal languages. They are not as good as Chinese, English, or French.

  19. The truth is… • Wherever humans exist, language exits. • All languages are equal - no ‘primitive’ language