chapter 1_what is language

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CHAPTER 1:

WHAT IS LANGUAGE?



What is Language?

y Language is the source of human life & power.y Why?

y What do we use language for?

y What happens if we do not know a language?



Overview of Linguistics & Languagey A. LINGUISTICS:

- The study of both the external and internal featuresof a language.

- E.g: English Language ---- c a t ---- made of 3 soundsMalay Language ---- b u k u ---- made of 4 sounds

- A scientific study of a human language as:* Empirical observation of perceptible natural

phenomena and drawing conclusions from theseobservations

* Formulation of theories independent of empiricalobservations

- Concerned with the nature of a language and communication



y B. LANGUAGE:

- A system of arbitrary vocal symbols used by humansfor communication within their society

- The structural components:

1. Morphology:

* Concerned with the properties of words and word-building rules

2. Phonetics & Phonemics:

* Introduces the physiology involved in the

production of speech sounds as well as phonetics& phonemics transcriptions used to represent the

sound of a language



3. Phonology:

* Surveys the organizational principles that determine the patternsthe sound speech are subject to.

4. Syntax:

* Presents the structure of sentences & phrases

5. Semantics:

* Deals with the structure of meaning & denotation

6. Language Variation (Dialect Varieties):

* The ways of speakers and group of speaking can differ with eachother in the various forms of language that they use.

7 . Language Change:* Examines how language changes overtime and can be historically -related



Linguistic Knowledgey Knowing a language means knowing that:

* The sounds & signs that are in and are not in a

language (phonetics)* Certain sound sequences signify certain concepts &

meanings (phonology & morphology):

- What sentences are appropriate in various

situations- What string of words are and are not in a

sentence

(pages 4 & 5)



* Enables us to combine words to form phrases &phrases to form sentences (syntax)

* Can produce new sentences never spoken before &

understand sentences never heard before.* Enables us to produce new words

(pages 4 & 5)



The Functional Properties of

Language include:y Pragmatics:- Explores some of the issues involved describing humancommunication & proposes certain communication

strategies that people use when they talk to each other.y Psychology of Language:- Examines how language is cognitively processed &perceived.

y Language A cquisition:

- Studies the stages involved in language acquisition by normal human (children) and reviews the evidence forpositing a genetically endowed language acquisitiondevice

(



y Productivity :

- A speaker of a language is able to come up with anindefinite number of sentences not known to anyone

and yet understandable to their learners (and

readers). There are called NOVEL (new) sentences.

- This is the property of creativity

- It is linked to the fact = the potential number of

utterances in any human language is infinite

- Non-human signaling is fixed as relating to aparticular object/occasion ----- Fixed reference

(pages 8-9)



y Cultural Transmission:

- We acquire a language in a culture with otherspeakers

- It is transmitted/passed on from one generation to

the next

- We are not born with the ability to produce

utterances in a specific language (e.g: English/Malay)

although we are not born with an innate

predisposition to acquire language- Animal communication = e.g: the signals, is

instinctive & not-learned



y Discreteness:- Sound used in language are meaningfully distinct- E.g: In English, a /b/ sound is distinct from a / p/

sound. This difference leads to a distinction inmeaning in the forms /bill / and / pill /

- Each sound in the language is discrete

y Duality :- Language is organized at 2 levels simultaneously - (duality/double articulation)

a. distinct soundsb. distinct meanings

- Each distinct sound has no intrinsic meaning to it but when some of them are combined in aparticular manner, they form another level producing meaning

- E.g: /n/ + /i/ + /p/ -------- /nip/

/p/ + /i/ + /n/ -------- /pin/

- This property enables us to produce a very large number of sound combinations (words which aredistinct sounds & meanings)- This feature makes human language very economical (animal communication lacks this

property of duality)



y Other properties:

a. V ocal-auditory channel:- generated via the vital organs & perceived via the

ears)

b. R eciprocity :

- any speaker/sender of a linguistic signal can alsobe a listener/receiver

c. Specialization:

- linguistic signals do not serve other purposes,

only for communication

d. Non-directionality :

- Can be picked up by anyone within hearing



Assignments:1. Give the definition of the following words:

a. Competence

b. Performance

2. What is the importance of language?

3. What is grammar?

4. Is grammar important? Why?

chapter 1_what is language

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