语言学基础1

• Productivity
– Its users can construct and interpret new signals.
• Duality
– Meaningless sound structure – Meaningful word or sentence structure
• Also known as “double articulation”
• Writing
– Invented form of language – Latter than speech – Learned – Revised record of speech
பைடு நூலகம்
F. de Saussure (1857-1913)
• Langue
– Abstract linguistic system shared by all its users – Abstract rules – Stable
WHAT IS LINGUISTICS
Definition
• Scientific study of language
How is it studied?
What is studied?
Different types of linguistics
• General linguistics • Applied linguistics
Introduction
Warm-up Questions
• What is linguistics? • What is language? • Why are people interested in language reseach?
Outline
• • • • • What is linguistics? What does linguistics study? What is language? What is special about human language? What functions can language play?
• Prescriptive
– Describe and analyze the language people actually use
• Descriptive
– Tell people what they should say
• Synchronic
– What a language is like at a particular point of time
• Diachronic
– What has changed in the language over a period of time
• Speech
– Natural and primary form of language – Prior to writing – Acquired – Authentic – More important for linguistic study
Definition
a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication.
Features of language
• Arbitrariness
– There is no logical connection between meaning and sound.
• It’s nice to meet you!
– Social
ASSIGNMENT
• Revision questions 2, 4, 6, 7 • Preview Chapter 2
Three major functions
• Descriptive • Expressive • Social
What is the function below
• The door is open.
– Descriptive ?
• I hate seeing him!
– Expressive ?
• Language + society =
Sociolinguistics
• Language + brain/human behavior =
Psycholinguistics
• Language + learning =
Applied linguistics
SOME IMPORTANT DISTINCTIONS
• Parole
– Actual use of langue
– Concrete behavior – Changeable
More important for linguistic study
N. Chomsky (1928- )
• Competence
– The ideal user’s knowledge of the rules of his language
Psychological
Traditional grammar Prescriptive Writing oriented
Modern linguistics Descriptive Speech oriented
Latin-based
Covering all languages
WHAT IS LANGUAGE
• Performance
– The actual realization of the rules of his language
More important for linguistic study
• Langue vs. Parole
Sociological
• Competence vs. Performance
– Language has to be acquired or learned rather than genetically transmitted.
FUNCTIONS OF LANGUAGE
• • • • • •
for human communication? right! but … what kind of communication or which aspect of communication?
• Displacement
– Language can be used to refer to contexts removed form the speaker’s immediate situation. – In terms of TIME and SPACE.
• Cultural transmission
Scope of linguistic study: Structural perspective
sound word
Phonology Morphology Syntax Semantics Pragmatics
sentence meaning social function
Scope of linguistic study: Cross-disciplinary perspective