2020/7/6,.,1,Linguistics,2020/7/6,.,2,Chapter 1,Invitations to Linguistics,2020/7/6,.,3,1.1 Why study Language?,Some myths about language (1) Language is only a means of communication. (2) Language has a form-meaning correspondence. (3) The function of language is to exchange information. (4) English is more difficult to learn than Chinese. (5) Black English is not standard and should be reformed.,2020/7/6,.,4,1.1 Why study Language?,Some fundamental views about language: (1) Children learn their native language swiftly, efficiently and without instruction. (2) Language operates by rules. (3) All languages have three major components: a sound system, a system of lexicogrammar and a system of semantics. (4) Everyone speaks a dialect.,2020/7/6,.,5,1.1 Why study Language?,(5) Language slowly changes. (6) Speakers of all languages employ a range of styles and a set of jargons. (7) Language is intimately related to the societies and individuals who use them. (8) Writing is derivative of speech.,2020/7/6,.,6,1.1 Why study Language?,1. Language is very essential to human beings. 2. In language there are many things we should know. For further understanding, we need to study language scientifically.,2020/7/6,.,7,1.2 What is Language?,Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication.,2020/7/6,.,8,1.2 What is Language?,(1) System: Elements in it are arranged according to certain rules. They cannot be arranged at will. S+V+O e.g. He the table cleaned (),2020/7/6,.,9,1.2 What is Language?,(2) Arbitrary-there is no intrinsic (logic) connection between a linguistic form (linguistic symbol/sign ) and its meaning. cat /kt/ (猫) a small four legged animal written form oral form arbitrary meaning linguistic form(symbol) conventional The relationship between the linguistic symbol and its meaning is arbitrary, and their connection is conventional because people of the same language have agreed to use certain sounds to stand for certain things.,2020/7/6,.,10,1.2 What is Language?,(3) Vocal-the primary medium for all languages is sound, no matter how well developed their writing systems are. Writing systems came into being much later than the spoken forms. People with little or no literacy can also be competent language users.,2020/7/6,.,11,1.2 What is Language?,(4) Symbols-words are just the symbols associated with objects, actions, and ideas by convention. cat /kt/ a small four legged animal written form oral form objects/ideas linguistic form(symbol),2020/7/6,.,12,1.2 What is Language?,(5) Human -Language is human-specific. Human beings have different kinds of brains and vocal capacity. Communication-A process in which information is transmitted from a source (sender or speaker) to a goal (receiver or listener),2020/7/6,.,13,1.2 What is Language?,Definition Language is a means of verbal communication. It is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication.,2020/7/6,.,14,1.3 Design Features of Language,What is design feature? design feature defining feature distinguishable feature Design Features of Language The features that define our human languages The features which can distinguish human language from any animal system of communication,2020/7/6,.,15,1.3 Design Features of Language,The features that define our human languages can be called design features which can distinguish human language from any animal system of communication. (1) Arbitrariness 任意性 (2) Duality 二层性 (3) Creativity 创造性 (4) Displacement 移位性,2020/7/6,.,16,1.3 Design Features of Language,1.3.1 Arbitrariness (first discussed by Saussure) Arbitrariness refers to the fact that the forms of linguistic signs bear no natural relationship to their meanings. （指语言符号的形式与意义之间没有自然的联系 ） The link between them is a matter of convention. ( ppt 9),2020/7/6,.,17,1.3 Design Features of Language,1.3.2 Duality Duality refers to the property of having two levels of structures, such that units of the primary level are composed of elements of the secondary level and each of the two levels has its own principles of organization. the lower or the basic level/ secondary units-sounds which are meaningless, but can be grouped and regrouped into words the higher level/ primary units-words which are meaningful,2020/7/6,.,18,1.3 Design Features of Language,1.3.2 Duality the lower or the basic level/ secondary units-sounds which are meaningless the higher level/ primary units-words which are meaningful eg. teacher, transport, enable,2020/7/6,.,19,1.3 Design Features of Language,1.3.3 Creativity Creativity means that language is resourceful because of its duality and its recursiveness (递归性).,2020/7/6,.,20,1.3 Design Features of Language,1.3.3 Creativity Because of duality, the speaker is able to combine the basic linguistic units to form an infinite set of sentences, most of which are never before produced or heard. In other words, language is productive because o