新编简明英语语言学教程

The Requirements for this course
Class attendance Classroom discussion Fulfillment of the assignment Examination
Reference Books
戴炜栋，何兆熊，(2002)，《新编简明英语语言学教程》，上 海外语教育出版社。
Language is arbitrary
Arbitrary---- no intrinsic connection between the
word and the thing it denotes, e.g. “pen” by any
other name is the thing we use to write with.
Language is primarily vocal
A Course on Linguistics for Students of English
--Cheng Zhenquan School of Foreign Studies,
Hale Waihona Puke Baidu
The Goals for this Course
To get a scientific view on language; To understand some basic theories on linguistics; To understand the applications of the linguistic
arbitrary symbols.”
Chomsky’s definition (1957)
“From now on I will consider language to be a
set of (finite or infinite) sentences, each finite in length and constructed out of a finite set of
theories, especially in the fields of language teaching & learning (SLA or TEFL), cross-cultural communication……; To prepare for the future research work.
the common features of all human languages (e.g. He studies language)
a tool for human communication. (social function) a set of rules. (rule-governed)
Chapter 1. Introduction
1. What is language?
Language can mean
what a person says (e.g. bad language, expressions)
the way of speaking or writing (e.g. Shakespeare’s language, Luxun’s language)
Sapir’s definition (1921)
“Language is a purely human and non-instinctive
method of communicating ideas, emotions and
desires by means of voluntarily produced symbols.”
Language is symbolic in nature
Symbolic---- words are associated with objects,
actions ideas by convention. “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet”----Shakespeare
Hall’s definition (1968)
Language is “the institution whereby humans
communicate and interact with each other by means of habitually used oral-auditory
a particular variety or level of speech or writing (e.g. language for special purpose, colloquial language)
the abstract system underlying the totality of the speech/writing behavior of a community (e.g. Chinese language, first language)
elements.”
Language can be generally defined as
a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication.
Language is a system
Systematic---- rule-governed, elements in it are arranged according to certain rules; can’t be combined at will. e.g. *bkli, *I apple eat.
胡壮麟，(2001)，《语言学教程》，北京大学出版社。
刘润清，(1995)，《西方语言学流派》，外语教学与研究出版 社。
Fromkin,V. & R. Rodman, (1998), An Introduction to Language the sixth edition, Orlando, Florida: Holt, Ranehart & Winston, Inc.