ChapterⅠ

语言学第一章，Language Defination，A system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication.

ChapterⅠ

• Language
  • Defination
    • A system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication.
  • Origination
    • Bow-wow
      • Primitive people intimate the sounds of animal calls in the wild enviroment.
    • Pooh-pooh
      • Instinctive sounds of pain,anger and joy
    • Yo-he-ho
      • Rhythmic sounds produced by primitive people when they work toghter.
  • Features
    • Arbitrariness 任意性
      • Forms of linguistic signs bear no natural relationship to their meaning.
    • Duality 双重性
      • Lower level : sounds Higher level: meaning
    • Creativity 创造性
      • Understand and produce sentences
    • Displacement位移性
      • Talk about things that are not present in time and space.
  • Functions
    • Informative Function 信息功能
      • Tell the fact, describe the material world
        • I have a red suit.
    • Interpersonal Function 人际功能
      • Establish social roles in a society, show status and identity
        • Dear sir.
    • Performative Function 施为功能
      • Perform action by uttering certain words or sentences.
        • "Open the door!"
    • Emotive Function 情感功能
      • Express feelings,reaction to the immediate situation.
        • What a sight. Damn it.
    • Phatic Function 寒暄功能
      • Maintain social contact,create an atmosphere
        • Greetings, Comments
    • Recreational Function 娱乐功能
      • Use the language for the sheer joy of using it.
        • Baby's babbling
    • Metalingual Function 元语言功能
      • Language can be used to talk about itself.
        • Teaching
• Linguistics
  • Defination
    • The science of language.
  • Microlinguistics
    • Phonetics
      • Study speech sound
    • Phonology
      • Study the sound patterns of languages
    • Morphology
      • Study the form of words
    • Syntax
      • Principles of forming and understanding Englisn sentences
    • Semantics
      • Study the meaning of language
    • Pragmatics
      • The study of meaning of language in context
  • Macrolinguistics
    • Psycholinguistics
      • Linguistic behavior and psychological process
    • Sociolinguistics
      • Social factors affect language use
    • Anthropological Linguistics
      • Study structure of formerly unwritten language
    • Computational Linguistics
      • Computer to process or produce human language
  • Important Distinctions
    • Descriptive 描写 Vs Prescriptive 规定
      • Descriptive: describe linguistic facts observed or language people use
      • Prescriptive: lay down rules for correct language (traditional grammar)
    • Synchronic 共时 Vs Diachronic 历时
      • Synchronic: description of a language at some point of time
      • Diachronic: description of a language through times
    • Langue语言 Vs Parole言语
      • Langue: abstract linguistic system
      • Parole: the realization of langue in actual use
    • Competence 能力 Vs Performance 运用
      • Competence: the ideal knowledge of rules of language
      • Performance: the actual use of language in concrete situations