戴伟栋-新编简明英语语言学教程笔记

戴伟栋-新编简明英语语言学教程笔记

-CAL-FENGHAI-(2020YEAR-YICAI)_JINGBIAN

戴版语言学

Chapter One----Introduction

Part one----What is linguistics

1. Definition----linguistics is generally defined as the scientific study of language. Scientific means it is based on the systematic investigation of linguistic data, conducted with reference to some general theory of language structure.

No Article before language in this definition means that linguistics studies language in general.

Linguists’ task: basically study and understand the general principles upon which al l languages are built.

Interest of linguists is “what is said”

2. The scopes of linguistics

General linguistics----the study of language as a whole-----the core of linguistics Phonetics----the study of sounds used in linguistic communication.

Phonology----the study of how sounds are put together and used to convey meanings in communication.

Morphology----the study of the way in which the symbols are arranged and combined to form words.

Syntax-----the study of the rules for sentence formation

Semantics-----the study of meaning.

Pragmatics----the study of meaning in the context of language use.

Above are made up of the core of linguistics

Sociolinguistics-----the study of all social aspects of language and its relation with society from the core of the branch.

Psycholinguistics-----the study of language processing, comprehending and production, as well as language acquisition.

Applied linguistics-----the application of linguistic theories and principles to language teaching , especially the teaching of foreign and second languages.

3. Some important distinctions in linguistics.

(1) prescriptive vs. descriptive

prescriptive----the linguistic study aims to lay down rules for “correct and standard” behavior in using language, . to tell people what they should say and what they should not say.

Descriptive----the linguistic study aims to describe and analyze the language people actually use.

Modern linguistics is mostly descriptive.

(2) Synchronic vs. diachronic

Synchronic----the description of a language at some point of time in history. Diachronic----the description of a language as it changes through time----the historical development of language over a period of time----another name: historical linguistics.

A synchronic approach enjoys priority over a diachronic one.

(3) Speech vs. writing

Two major media of linguistic communication

Speech is prior to writing:

(1)writing system is always “invented” by its users to record speech.

(2)speech plays a greater role than writing in information conveyance.

(3)speech is acquired as mother tongue while writing is learned and taught.

(4)speech reveals true features of human speech while writing language is only the “revised” record of speech.

(4) Langue vs. parole

Proposed by Swiss linguist----F. de Saussure----sociological view.

Purpose: discover the regularities governing the actual use of language and make them the subjects of study of linguistics.

Langue----the abstract linguistic system shared by all the members of s speech & stable.

Parole-----the realization of language in actual use----concrete & varied

(5) Competence vs. performance

Proposed by American linguist Noam Chomsky----psychological view

Purpose: discover and specify the internalized sets of rules.

Competence----the ideal user’s knowledge of the rules of his l anguage. Performance----the actual realization of this knowledge in linguistic communication.

(6) Traditional grammar and modern linguistics

The beginning of modern linguistics-- the publication of Saussure’s “Course in General Linguistics” in early 20th

Modern linguistics differs traditional grammar:

(1) descriptive vs. prescriptive.

(2) spoken language vs. written language.

(3)ML doesn’t force languages into a Latin-based framework.

Part Two----What is language

1. Definition----language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication.

System----elements of language are combined according to rules.

Arbitrary----there is no intrinsic connection between a linguistic symbol and what symbol stands for.

Vocal----the primary medium for all language is sound.

Human----language is human-specific.

2. Design features----proposed by American linguist Charles Hockett.(5/12)

Design features: the defining properties of human language that distinguish it from any animal system of communication-----human-specific.

(1) Arbitrariness----there is no logical connection between meanings and sounds. Exceptions: Onomatopoeic words and some compound words are not entire arbitrary.

(2) Productivity----language is creative in that it makes possible the construction and interpretation of new signals by its users----users can produce and understand sentences that they have never heard before.