Chapter 1 Invitations to Linguistics Course: Linguistics Lecturer: Phoenix Xu Date: 9/6/2007

Table of Contents 1.1 Why study language? 1.2 What is language? 1.3 Design features of language Arbitrariness Duality Creativity Displacement

1.4 Origin of language 1.5 Functions of language Informative Interpersonal function Performative Emotive function Phatic communion Recreational function Metalingual function

1.6 What is linguistics? 1.7 Main branches of linguistics Phonetics Phonology Morphology Syntax Semantics Pragmatics

1.8 Macrolinguistics Psycholinguistics Sociolinguistics Anthropological linguistics Computational linguistics 1.9 Important distinctions in linguistics

1.1 Why study language? QUESTIONS: True or false 1. The function of language is to exchange information. 2. English is more difficult than Chinese. 3. Black English is not standard and should be reformed. 4. Children acquire their native language swiftly, efficiently and without instruction.

5. Language operates by rule. 6. Speakers of all language employ a range of style and a set of jargons. 7. Languages are intimately related to the societies and individuals who use them. 8. Language can slowly change.

1.2 What is language? Language is a means of verbal communication.

1.3 Design features of language ► DESIGN FEATURES: features which help define human languages

1.3.1 Arbitrariness (1) arbitrary relationship between the sound of a morpheme and its meaning

(2) arbitrariness at the syntactic level Ex. 1-2  He came in and sat down.  He sat down and came in.  He sat down after he came in.

(3) arbitrariness and convention

1.3.2 Duality ► DUALITY: “ 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 ” (Lyons 1982:20)

1.3.3 Creativity E.g. He bought a book which was written by a teacher who taught in a school which was known for its graduates who …

► CREATIVITY: Language is resourceful because of its duality and its recursiveness

1.3.4 Displacement ► DISPLACEMENT: Human languages enable their users to symbolize objects, events and concepts which are not present (in time and space) at the moment of communication.

1.4 Origin of language

► The bow-wow theory ► The pooh-pooh theory ► The “” yo-he-yo ” theory

1.5 Functions of language QUESTION: What are possible functions of languages?

1.5.1 Informative ► Language is the instrument of thought and people often feel need to speak their thoughts aloud.

1.5.2 Interpersonal function ► People establish and maintain their status in a society. E.g. Dear Sir, Dear Professor, Johnny, yours, Dear Sir, Dear Professor, Johnny, yours, your obedient servant your obedient servant

1.5.3 Performative ► The performative function of language is primarily to change the social status of persons, as in marriage ceremonies, the sentencing of criminals, the naming of a ship at a launching ceremony, and the cursing of enemies, and can extend to the control of reality as on some magical or religious occasions.

1.5.4 Emotive function ► The emotive function of language helps to change the emotional status of an audience for or against someone or something.

1.5.5 Phatic communion Ex. 1-4 Mrs. P sneezes violently. Mrs. Q: Bless you. Mrs. P: Thank you.

► PHATIC COMMUNION refers to expressions that help define and maintain interpersonal relations, such as slangs, jokes, jargons, ritualistic exchanges, switches to social and regional dialects.

1.5.6 Recreational function ► the use of language for the sheer joy of using it

1.5.7 Metalingual function ► Language can be used to describe itself.

1.6 What is linguistics? ► LINGUISTICS: the science of language OR the scientific study of language

► Journals: Language, Journal of Linguistics, Lingua, Applied Linguistics, etc. ► Regular conference ► A set of established theories, methods and sub-branches

1.7 Main branches of linguistics

1.7.1 Phonetics ► PHONETICS studies speech sounds, including the production of speech, that is how speech sounds are actually made, transmitted and received, the sounds of speech, the description and classification of speech sounds, words and connected speech, etc.

1.7.2 Phonology ► PHONOLOGY studies the rules governing the structure, distribution, and sequencing of speech sounds and the shape of syllables.

1.7.3 Morphology ► MORPHOLOGY is concerned with the internal organization of words. It studies the minimal units of meaning — morphemes and word-formation processes.

1.7.4 Syntax ► SYNTAX is about principles of forming and understanding correct English sentences.

1.7.5 Semantics ► SEMANTICS examines how meaning is encoded in a language.

1.7.6 Pragmatics ► PRAGMATICS is the study of meaning in context.

1.8 Macrolinguistics

1.8.1 Psycholinguistics ► PSYCHOLOINGUISTICS investigates the interrelation of language and mid, in processing and producing utterances and in language acquisition for example.

1.8.2 Sociolinguistics ► SOCIOLINGUISTICS is the study of the characteristics of language varieties, the characteristics of their functions, and the characteristics of their speakers as these three constantly interact and change within a speech community.

1.8.3 Anthropological linguistics

1.8.4 Computational linguistics ► COMPUTATIONAL LINGUISTICS is an interdisciplinary field which centers around the use of computers to process or produce human language.

1.9 Important distinctions in linguistics

1.9.1 Descriptive vs. prescriptive Ex. 1-6 Do/Don ’ t say X. —— prescriptive People do/don ’ t say X. —— descriptive

► Descriptive: “ the linguist tries to discover and record the rules to which the members of a language-community actually conform and does not seek to impose upon them other rules, or norms, of correctness ” (Lyons 1982: 47)

1.9.2 Synchronic vs. diachronic Saussure ► SYNCHRONIC: the study of a language at a fixed instance ► DIACHRONIC: the study of a language through the course of its history

1.9.3 Langue vs. Parole Saussure ► LANGUE: the linguistic competence of the speaker ► PAROLE: the actual phenomena or data of linguistics

1.9.4 Competence vs. Performance Chomsky, 1965, Aspects of the Theory of Syntax ► COMPETENCE: a language user ’ s underlying knowledge about the system of rules ► PERFORMANCE: the actual use of language in concrete situations

1.9.5 Etic vs. Emic Pike ► ETIC refers to an outsider's point of view, usually taken with an attitude of higher civilization. ► EMIC refers to an insider's point of view, in which experience is used to gain knowledge of a culture.