第一章总结

Invitations to Linguistics

1.1 To give the barest of definition, language is a means of verbal communication.

1.3 Design Feature o Language

1.3.1 Arbitrariness

Refers to the fact that the forms of linguistic signs bear no natural relationship to their meaning.

Arbitrary relationship between the sound of a morpheme and its meaning. Arbitrariness at the syntactic level,by syntax we refer to the ways that sentences are constructed according to the grammar of arrangement Arbitrariness and convention :the matter of convention is the link between a linguistic sign and its meaning.

1.3.2Duality

By duality is meant the property of having two levels of structures,such that units of the primary level are composed of elements of the secondary level and each of the two levels has its own principles of organization. 1.3.3 Creativity

By creativity we mean language is resourceful because of its duality and its recursiveness.

1.3.4 Displacement

It means that human languages enable their users to symbolize object,events and concepts which are not present at the moment of

communication.

1.4 Origin of Language

The bow-bow theory:The bow-wow theory refers to theories by various scholars, including Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Johann Gottfried Herder, on the origins of human language.

The pooh-pooh theory: The pooh-pooh theory In the hard life of our primitive ancestors, they utter instinctive sounds of pains, anger and joy which gradually developed into language.

The yo-he-ho theory:3. The “yo-he-ho”theory As primitive people worked together, they produced some rhythmic grunts which gradually developed into chants and then into language.

1.5 Functions of Language

1.5.1 Informative

It is predominately the major role of language.

1.5.2 Interpersonal Function

By far the most important sociological use of language is the interpersonal function, by which people establish and maintain their status in a society.

1.5.3 Performative

It is primarily to change the social status of person, as in marriage ceremonies, the sentencing of criminals, the ………

1.5.4 Emotive Function

It is one of the most powerful uses of language because it is crucial in changing the emotional status of an audiences for or against someone or something.

1.5.5 Phatic Communion

It refers to the social interaction of language.

1.5.6 Recreational Function

It refer the use of language for the heavy joy of using it.

1.5.7 Metalingual Function

Our language can be used to talk about itself.

1.6 The Definition of Linguistics

:the science of language or, alternatively ,as the scientific study of language.

1.7 Main Branches of Linguistics

1.7.1 Phonetics

It studies speech sounds,including the production of speech.

1.7.2 Phonology

It studies the rules governing the structure ,distribution ,and sequencing of speech sounds and the shape of syllables.

1.7.3 Morphology

It is concerned with the internal organization of words. It studies the minimal units of meaning-morphemes and word-formation processes. 1.7.4 Syntax