语言学教程第一章

语言学教程第一章思维导图：Human languages enable their users to symbolize objects,events and concepts which are not present (in time and space) at the moment of communication.

Invitations to Linguistics

• What Is Language
  • A generally accepted difinition:Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbol s used for human communication.
    • system: elements in a langnage are arranged according to certain rules
    • arbitrary: there is no intrinsic connection between the word and the thing it denotes
    • vocal: the primary medium is sound for all languages Speech is the primary mechium of language communication
    • symbols: words are associated with objects,actions or ideas etc by nothing but convention
    • human:language is different from the communication systems of other forms of life.Langnage distinguishes us from any other animals ( specific )
• Design Features of Language
  • Arbitariness
    • There is no intrinsic connection between the word and the thing it denotes.
  • Duality
    • Human languages have two levels of structures. Units of the primary level are composed of elements of the secondary level. And each of the two levels has its own principles of organizaton.
  • Creativity=Productivity
    • The users of language can produce and understand the sentences tey have never heard before.
  • Displacement
    • Human languages enable their users to symbolize objects,events and concepts which are not present (in time and space) at the moment of communication.
• Functions of Language
  • Phatic
    • Meaning: Language is used to establish or maintain social contact.
    • E.g. How are you today? See you!
  • Directive
    • Meaning: Language is used to get the hearer to do sth.
    • E.g. Open the window! Can you open the window?
  • Informative
    • Meaning: Language is used to give information about facts.
    • E.g. The sun rises from the east and sets from the west Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
  • Interrogative
    • Meaning: Language is used to get information from others.
    • E.g. Do you know his hobby? How many students are there in our class?
  • Expressive
    • Meaning: Language is used to express the feelings or attitudes of the speaker.
    • E.g. I am so sorry to hear about that.
  • Evocative
    • Meaning: Language is used to create certain feelings in the hearer.
    • E.g. advertising, jokes, propaganda
  • Performative
    • Meaning: Language is used to do things or perform actions.
    • E.g. I declare the meeting open.
  • Recreational
    • Meaning: Language is used for the sheer joyof using it.
    • E.g. Verbal dueling, Poetry writing.
  • Metalingual
    • Meaning: Language is used to talk about itself.
    • E.g. What′s the meaning of the word"pen"?
  • Other classifications
    • Roman Jakobson(1896-1982)
      • Referential function
      • Poetic function
      • Emotive function
      • Conative function
      • Phatic function
      • Metalingual function
    • Michael Halliday(1925-2018)
      • Adult
        • Identional function
        • Interpersonal function
        • Textual function
      • Child
        • Instrumental function
        • Regulatory function
        • Interactional function
        • Personal function
        • Heuristic function
        • Imaginative function
        • Representational function
• What Is Linguistics
  • Meaning: Linguistics is the scientific study of language.
    • Scientific
      • Systematic: a set of established theories, methods and sub-branches.
      • Objective
        • data collecting→hypothesis
        • forming→hypothesis justified theories establishing.
    • Study
      • learn ×
      • investigate ✓
    • Language
      • a particular language ×
      • language in general ✓
  • Linguists' job
    • Don't have to know and use a large number of langnages.
    • Ought to have a wide experience of different trpes of langnages.
    • Not to learn to use any particular language.
    • To investigate how a language is constructed.
    • To investigate how a language changes.
    • To investigate how children acquire native
    • To investigate how persons learn a foreign language.
• The Scope of Linguistics
  • Microlinguistics
    • Sound
      • Phonetics
        • speech sounds
      • Phonology
        • sound system
    • Structure
      • Morphology
        • intemal organization of words
      • Syntax
        • the formation of sentences
    • Meaning
      • Semantics
        • literal meaning of language
      • Pragmatics
        • meaning in context
  • Macrolinguistics
    • Psycholinguistics: language & mind
    • Sociolinguistics: language & society
    • Anthropological L-:emergence & divergence
    • Computational L-: language & computer
    • Literary Stylistics: literary language & linguistics
    • Applied Linguistics:language teaching& linguistics
• Important Distinctions in Linguistics
  • Descriptive vs. Prescriptive
    • Descriptive
      • Descriptive study describes and analyzes facts observed.(what people actually say)
      • E.g. I don′t know nothing. Who do you intend to travel with? You have to really watoh him.
    • Perspective
      • Perspective study tries to lay down rules for correct behavior.(what people should say)
        • Never use a double negative.
        • Never end a sentence with a preposition.
        • Never spilt the infinitive.
    • Modern linguistics is mostly descriptive.
  • Synchronic vs. Diachronic
    • Synchronic(time point)
      • Synchronic study describes a language at some point in time.
    • Drachronic(time period)
      • Diachronic study describes a language as it changes through time.
    • Modern linguistics is mostly synchronic.
  • Langue vs. Parole
    • Langue
      • Langue is the abstract linguistic srstern shared by all the members of a speech community.
      • Langue:abstract, systematic, stable, social
      • Langue:not exactly spoken by anyone.
    • Parole
      • Parole is the actualized language or realization of language in actual use.
      • Parole: specific, varied, individual
      • Parole:always a naturally occurring event
    • Modern linguistics is to abstract language from parole.
  • Competence vs. Performance
    • Competence(knowledge)
      • Competence is the ideal user's knowledge of the rules of his language.
      • Competence: relatively stable
    • Performance (realization)
      • Performance is the actual realization of this knowledge in linquistic communication.
      • Performance: often varied
    • Modern linquistics is to stress the study of competence.