introduction to linguistics day one n what is a language?

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What is a language?What is a language?

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What is a language?What is a language?– French, Spanish, English?French, Spanish, English?

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What is a language?What is a language?– French, Spanish, English?French, Spanish, English?

What does a linguist mean by What does a linguist mean by language?language?

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What is a language?What is a language?– French, Spanish, English?French, Spanish, English?

What does a linguist mean by What does a linguist mean by language?language?– A human means of communication, A human means of communication,

spoken, written or gestured.spoken, written or gestured.

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What is linguistics?What is linguistics?

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What is linguistics?What is linguistics?– The study of human language, a The study of human language, a

cognitive science, a social science.cognitive science, a social science.

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What is linguistics?What is linguistics?– The study of human language, a The study of human language, a

cognitive science, a social sciencecognitive science, a social science

– What is a linguist?What is a linguist? Someone who studies human language, Someone who studies human language,

not someone who speaks many not someone who speaks many languages, or studies many languages.languages, or studies many languages.

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

How many languages are there?How many languages are there?

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

How many languages are there?How many languages are there?– About 4,000 or so.About 4,000 or so.

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

How many languages are there?How many languages are there?– About 4,000 or so.About 4,000 or so.

What’s the difference between a What’s the difference between a language and a dialect?language and a dialect?

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

How many languages are there?How many languages are there?– About 4,000 or so.About 4,000 or so.

What’s the difference between a What’s the difference between a language and a dialect?language and a dialect?– Essentially none; it’s better to use the Essentially none; it’s better to use the

term “regional variation”term “regional variation”

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What’s the matter with the word What’s the matter with the word dialect?dialect?

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What’s the matter with the word What’s the matter with the word dialect?dialect?– It presupposes a theoretically pure It presupposes a theoretically pure

state of a language which has never state of a language which has never existed, and is generally used to existed, and is generally used to separate out certain groups in society separate out certain groups in society from the whole or the elite, as from the whole or the elite, as somehow being less or inferior.somehow being less or inferior.

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What’s diglossia?What’s diglossia?

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What’s diglossia?What’s diglossia?– When two languages exist in the When two languages exist in the

same community, but have different same community, but have different social roles. Example: High and Low social roles. Example: High and Low German.German.

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What’s diglossia?What’s diglossia?– When two languages exist in the When two languages exist in the

same community, but have different same community, but have different social roles. Example: High and Low social roles. Example: High and Low German.German.

Is this the same as bilingualism?Is this the same as bilingualism?– No, not necessarily.No, not necessarily.

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What’s Diachronic and Synchronic What’s Diachronic and Synchronic study of a language?study of a language?

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What’s Diachronic and Synchronic What’s Diachronic and Synchronic study of a language?study of a language?

– Diachronic studies language change Diachronic studies language change over time.over time.

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What’s Diachronic and Synchronic What’s Diachronic and Synchronic study of a language?study of a language?

– Diachronic studies language change Diachronic studies language change over time.over time.

– Synchronic studies a language in its Synchronic studies a language in its current state.current state.

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What is language obsolescence?What is language obsolescence?

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What is language obsolescence?What is language obsolescence?– Generally occurs in a state of Generally occurs in a state of

diglossia, can result in language diglossia, can result in language death.death.

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What is language obsolescence?What is language obsolescence?– Generally occurs in a state of Generally occurs in a state of

diglossia, can result in language diglossia, can result in language death.death.

How fast are languages dying?How fast are languages dying?

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What is language obsolescence?What is language obsolescence?– Generally occurs in a state of Generally occurs in a state of

diglossia, can result in language diglossia, can result in language death.death.

How fast are languages dying?How fast are languages dying?– During the 21st century, about 90% During the 21st century, about 90%

of the world’s languages will die.of the world’s languages will die.

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What is grammar?What is grammar?

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What is grammar?What is grammar?– An artificially constructed set of rules An artificially constructed set of rules

to govern how languages are taught. to govern how languages are taught. We’ll try to get away from that word We’ll try to get away from that word until we gain a linguistic until we gain a linguistic understanding of it.understanding of it.

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What are some of the other things What are some of the other things we’ll look at?we’ll look at?

Introduction to LinguisticsIntroduction to LinguisticsDay OneDay One

What are some of the other things What are some of the other things we’ll look at?we’ll look at?– Semantics, syntax, phonology, Semantics, syntax, phonology,

phonetics, phonemes and much much phonetics, phonemes and much much moremore