Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 1
An Introduction to LinguisticsBibhuti Bhusan Mahapatra
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 2
Some Approaches to the Study of Language
Ancient Indian thinkers paid a good deal of attention to the nature of language; Panini’s Ashta:dhya:yi: is a significant work in the tradition.
Saussure’s concept of language (Early 20th Century)
Austin’s use-theory of language (1962)Chomsky’s biolinguistic assumptions
(1957 onwards)
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 3
Saussure’s Concepts about Language
Diachrony vs. SynchronyLangue vs. ParoleSignifier vs. SignifiedAssociative vs. Syntagmatic
Relation
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 4
Diachrony vs. Synchrony
Diachrony Studying a language at two different points of time; relating two different stages of a language
SynchronyStudying a language as a complete system at a particular point of time
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 5
Langue vs. Parole
LangueThe ‘system’ of a language exists in a speech community, in the collectivity; it is shared by all the speakers of that speech community
Parole An individual’s use of the system of ‘langue’
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 6
Signifier vs. Signified
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 7
Signifier-Signified Relationship
SignifierThe sound/utterance which is related to a ‘concept’
SignifiedThe ‘concept’ which is related to the sound/utterance
The signifier and the signified are not separable; together, they form a sign.
The relation between the signifier and the signified is not natural, but arbitrary. Thus, languages are different from one another
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 8
Language as a Form
Language is a form shaping both thought and utterance simultaneously.
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 9
Associative vs. Syntagmatic Relation
Associative Relation A sign is associated with other signs of a
language by similarity and difference. The associated signs are in a set of choices.
Syntagmatic RelationA sign occurs with other signs in a chain
(e.g. in a phrase or in a sentence).Language is organised by selecting from a
set of choices of signs to a chain of signs.
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 10
Some examples of the relations
1) The old man2) The young man3) The tall man In (1), the sign old is in syntagmatic relation
with the and man As (2) and (3) show, the sign old in (1), is
associated with young and tall, and is substitutable by them.
The associative relations are not visible in a construction; they are related in absentia; the syntagmatic relations are in presentia.
Concept of sign applies to every unit of a language, such as a phoneme, a morpheme, etc.
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 11
Austin’s Use-theory of Language(How to Do Things with Words)
Language does not merely refer to things; it is used in the society to perform certain communicative functions.
The use theory of language attempts to arrive at a restricted set of conditions for the language use.
Using language means doing things
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 12
Utterance types
Constative vs. Performative Constative
Constative utterances are statements; their function is to describe some event, process or state-of-affairs; and they (or the propositions expressed by them) have the property of being either true or false.
Performative Performative utterances, by contrast, have no truth value; they are used to do something, rather than to say something is or is not the case. They refer to the fact of their own successful performance.
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 13
Speech ActsLocutionary,Illocutionary and Perlocutionary
Acts Locutionary act
Uttering noise you know have meaning Illocutionary act
Utterance invokes a conventional force. Doing something in saying something. Some examples :
Asking a question Making a promise Making an appeal
Perlocutionary actUtterance brings about an effect on the hearer. Doing something by saying something. Some examples:
Warn someonePersuade someone
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 14
Generative Grammarand
Chomsky’s Biolinguistic Assumptions
Language is a biological endowment It is innate It interacts with other cognitive
systems
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 15
Innateness
As a part of our brain, there is a Faculty of Language (FL).
A human child is born with innate biological abilities to learn any human language.
A child does not “learn” language but it matures by being exposed to the linguistic environment, in the same way as the vision matures. In both the cases the innate biological abilities mature.
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
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Some Speculations about FL
FL is relatively a recent biological development.
The basic nature of the FL is symbolic; it has no direct correspondence to physical objects.
Its development may not be strictly for communication. (Chomsky, 2004)
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
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FL has an Initial State: L0
The L0 can be modified. But, the possible modifications are highly regulated.
L0 is modified with the exposure to the target Language.
L1, L2, L3…. are modifiable states; they correspond to different natural languages.
A natural language is an instantiation of one such modifiable states of L0
FL: Its Initial State and Modifications
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
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The set of initial properties available to the L0 is called the set of principles.
The set of variations possible within the principles are called parameters, which allow the languages to be different from one another.
This approach in generative grammar is called the ‘Principles and Parameters’ (PP) approach.
Principles and Parameters
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
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To account for a particular language the grammar has to meet ‘Descriptive Adequacy’.
To account for the L0, the Universal Grammar (UG), the grammar has to meet ‘Explanatory Adequacy’.
Adequacies
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 20
The Architecture The Faculty of Language (FL) interfaces with
two other systems; they are:Sensory Motor (Articulatory-
Perceptual) systemit is expressed by the Phonetic Form (PF)
Systems of thought (Conceptual-Intentional system)It is expressed by the Logical Form (LF)
FL
PF LF
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 21
FL should be Legible to Other Systems
For FL to be usable by the PF and LF interface systems, it should be legible to them
Language is an optimal solution to legibility conditions. (Chomsky, 2002)
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 22
What principles are available to the Faculty of Language?
A possible Principle:The Structure Dependency
Language shows a hierarchical structural organisation.
So an underlying structures has to be assumed behind the linear sequence of elements.
Dr. Bibhuti Mahapatra, KReSIT, IIT Bombay
Introduction to Linguistics 23
Thank you