普通语言学论文(个人期末作业论文)

山西师范大学研究生普通语言学课程考试试题（卷）2009 ——2010 学年第二学期

专业：外国语言学及应用语言学

年级：一年级

学号：209414061

姓名：范德瑞

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Title ：A preliminary Discussion about Human Language: Endowment or Accomplishment

Name ：Fan Derui

Abstract

This essay is mainly spread out the question "Human language: Endowment or Accomplish?" After giving the tentative definition of language ，I focus on the modifier "human" in "human language". That means why human language is different from other system of animal communication, which enduces design features which contribute to the unique flexibility and versatility of human language. This paper explores about the question " Is human language endowment or accomplishment?" with some theories and thus I give my own opinion.

【Key words 】Language design feature LAD UG

1. Introduction

As for us, linguistics majors, when we first get touch with linguistics, we may have some difficulty on coming across the definition of human language or we may question whether other species (other animals) have language of their own for some of them can communicate with each other in their own community. What decide human language is different from other systems of animal communication is very important for us to understand the definition. The design features which refer to the defining properties of human language. No other systems of communication would seem to have all these specific properties that contribute to the unique flexibility and versatility of human language. So language is human-specific or language is said to be unique to human beings. Is the human language "endowment" or "accomplishment”? Or another way to say that is “Is the human language "nature" or "nurture” . Then Noam Chomsky's LAD (Language Acquisition Device) or UG (Universal Grammar) suddenly come into your mind. Ok, that is good. What about other theories? Then I will introduce other two theories "A behaviorist view of language acquisition" and "An interactionist view of language acquisition" and Michael Halliday's "language as social semiotic". Personally speaking, I hold the view that it is true that capacity for language in human beings has a genetic basis, but the particular language a person learns to speak is a cultural one rather than a genetic one.

2. Definition of language

To this question, first, we should know what language is. It is very difficult to give this question a satisfactory definition. However, most linguists would accept a tentative definition like this: Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. (Zhao Pu & Jin Bao, 2006)

Language must be a system, since element in it are arranged according to certain rules; they cannot be combined at will. If language were not systematic, it could not be learned or used consistently. Language must be a system, since element in it are arranged according to certain rules; they cannot be combined at will. If language were not systematic, it could not be learned or used consistently.

Language is arbitrary in the sense that there is no intrinsic connection between the word pen and the thing we used to write with. The fact that different language have different words for it (钢笔in Chinese for instance) speaks strongly for the arbitrary nature of language.

This also explains the symbolic nature of language: words are associated with objects, actions, ideas by convention

We say language is vocal because the primary medium is sound for all languages, no matter how well developed are their writing systems, all evidence shows that writing systems came much later than the spoken forms and that they are only attempts to capture sounds and meaning on paper.

Language is not merely a tool used to transmit information. Language is social phenomenon and social behaviour.