the study of language – part i: why study it? p. sebastian
TRANSCRIPT
Why study linguistics?
1. It’s what makes us distinctly human.2. The more you know the more effective you are.3. It’s interesting.4. A well-educated person should know something about
language.5. “The study of language is ultimately the study of the mind.”
Linguistic Investigation• Eu tenho os livros.• Posso ter os bilhetes por favor?• O gato correu para a casa.• Eu conheci o professor hoje.• Você tem as mochilas?
• What do the words o, a, os, and as mean in Portuguese and what are their functions?
• What determines their usage?
As regras• http://www.learn-portuguese-with-rafa.com/portuguese-defi
nite-articles.html
More investigations!• http://translate.google.com/#en/no/I%20have%20the%20boo
ks.%20%0ACan%20I%20get%20the%20tickets%20please%3F%20%0AThe%20cat%20ran%20to%20the%20house.%20%0AI%20met%20the%20teacher%20today.%20%0ADo%20you%20have%20the%20backpacks%3F
The Human Language
• 3:00-4:25 – Language is made up of rules that we must follow in order to communicate. There are violations of grammar rules that prevent meaning and there are those that simply distort it.
• 9:15-10:20 – Sounds, words, sentences (Language Productivity)• 28:45-30:30 – “Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.”• 30:30-35:00 Universal Grammar, differences and similarities between
languages• In what ways are human languages similar?
• 38:00-39:50 – Grammar of Warlpiri (inflective with suffixes to denote function of words)
• 44:00-45:00 - How effective is language?• What is a spiral?• Draw a picture of “it’s not going to rain”
• 50:00 – Displacement though abstraction (talking about future/past etc.)
Why study language – Language Files
• It’s what makes us distinctly human• It is evidence of our thoughts, ideas, and feelings• It reflects identity• Design tools for language instruction, design computers that
can interact with humans using language, and treat people with language disorders
Some important concepts
• Linguistic competence vs. Linguistic performance• The speech communication chain p. 7• Are there other models of speech communication?• Try talking to each other at the same time.
What you know when you know a language
• Phonetic system• Sounds production
• Phonological system• Possible sound combinations• Pterodactyl, fsap, libg• Spaff, blig, splunch• Word endings
• Morphological system• Word parts
• Syntactical system• I will pick the package up at eight o’clock.• Package up pick at o’clock will the eight I.
• Semantic system• Pragmatic system
What you don’t (necessarily) know when you know a language
• How to write• Grammar (prescriptive)• Linguistics vs. applied linguistics
• How do prescriptive rules that do not describe natural language use survive?
Descriptive and Prescriptive Rules
• Handouts & 3 groups: come up with some descriptive rules for the grammar in the text provided.
Prescriptive grammar• Advantages• Efficient for large
amounts of information or information too complex to discover on your own
• Allows for cognitive application (processing)
• Good for learners who don’t have exposure to context
• Provides a standard reference point
• Limitations• Less authentic• Detached from
culture• *(different between
L1 and L2 acquisition)• Doesn’t improve
fluency in language• Not as powerful,
lessons are not retained as long
Descriptive grammar• Advantages• *See previous slide and
think backwards• Allows learner to follow
personal interests/curiosities• Motivating/exciting/
interesting
• Removes stigmas biases• Allows learner to create
their own context• Using comparisons and
contrasts
• Flexible to pace of learner
• Limitations• Onerous (time-
consuming and such)• Lacks clear structure• Often complex• Requires more prep• Assessment is a beast
• Norm-referencing is complicated
What is Language?
•“Knowing how, when and why to say what to whom.” • Standards for Foreign Language Learning
• Which linguistic areas do associate with each part of this sentence?
9 Ideas About Language-H. Daniels1. Children learn their native language swiftly, efficiently, and largely
without instruction2. Language operates by rules3. All languages have three major components: a sound system, a
vocabulary, and a system of grammar4. Everyone speaks a dialect (a variety of a particular language which has a certain set of
lexical, phonological, and grammatical rules that distinguishes it from other dialects)
5. Speakers of all languages employ a range of styles and a set of subdialectes or jargons
6. Language change is normal (simplification and regularization p 29)7. Languages are intimately related to the societies and individuals
who use them (language and culture p. 31)8. Value judgments about different languages or dialects are matters
of taste9. Writing is derivative of speech (fish = ghoti p. 34)
Natural vs. Constructed Language• “The distinction between constructed languages and natural
languages is that constructed languages are not the sort of system that a child can acquire naturally.”
Hockett’s Design Features of Language• Some guy on Youtube• Wikipedia• Features unique to
human language:• Discreteness
• Moveable parts• Displacement
• Talking about things not present
• Productivity• Moving the moveable
parts to create novel utterances
The Onomatopoeia• Animal sounds in other languages