Unit 5 Language

Contents Preparation: aspects of languageaspects of language Reading -ICR: How I Discovered WordsICR -ACR: -Passage I: Foreign AccentsACR -Passage II: Not Just Parrot-talk Part III Part IVPart IV: Translation A minute for you to think

aspects of language Languages across the world (major languages / minor languages)major languages minor languages English Dialects and Accents Body / non-verbal language (see part one-2, P200) Animal language (see ACR: Passage 2, P223) Language acquisition (input-output): a special case: ICR-How I Discovered WordsICR-How I Discovered Words

Major languages World map

Minor languages Japanese? Korean? … Mongolian? (video)video Maori language? (video 1, video 2)video 1video 2...  How “minor” or ancient a language could be: Movie excerpt (The Gods Must Be Crazy)The Gods Must Be Crazy ---an anthropological / ethnological perspective

English Dialects and Accents Asia India China (Zhejiang, Beijing)ZhejiangBeijing Afghanistan Taiwan Africa Tanzania South Africa South America Peru

In-Class Reading How I Discovered Words

Pre-reading task 1.To read Three Days to See (by Helen Keller)Three Days to See Think about the following 3 questions after reading the text on P201: 2.What is the world like to one who’s both blind and deaf? 3. How can one who’s both blind and deaf learn words?How can one who’s both blind and deaf learn words? 4.How can a healthy one find a way to teach a blind and deaf person words? What’s unique of Helen’s teacher?

Hints: two major elements for language acquisition: input (see, hear, touch) output (speak, write, sign language) ---what can Helen do of all the above? When you know a word: signifier (word) & signified (object) Was Helen born blind and deaf? Keys to miracle: curiosity / passion / interests / destiny (motivation) -----L33-36; L16-23

The difficult journey to WORDS the signified and signifier thing: words as names of things

The difficult journey to W-O-R-D-s The dark: Para 3 The teacher’s first attempt: Para 5 D-O-L-L the problem / barrier: Helen did not know that ______________, that __________________, or that __________________. So the spelling game is only a _______________ (which doesn’t make any sense) monkey-like imitation everything had a name she was spelling a word words exist “light” / “wordless cry”

The difficult journey to W-O-R-D-s More failed attempts: para 6, L43-47 Helen was still in the dark world: para 6, L Wordless emotions and thoughts

The difficult journey to W-O-R-D-s A monumental moment: Words / language reached Helen: para 7 “Helen discovered the words”: W-A-T-E-R (spelling)--- water (thing) --- water (name) How? New life with words: para 8 with the knowledge that __________________ with “right” emotions and thoughts thing-name-thoughts Touch / feel / repeated spelling

Reading Helen’s Journey

Reading Helen’s journey to word “Light! Give me light!” was the wordless cry of my soul. I did not know that I was spelling a word or even that words exist, I was simply making my fingers go in monkey-like imitation. My teacher had been with me several weeks before I understood that everything has a name. Neither sorrow nor regret followed my passionate outburst. I had not loved the doll. This thought, if a wordless sensation may be called a thought, made me hop and skip with pleasure.

Reading Helen’s journey to word I stood still, my whole attention fixed upon the motions of her fingers. Suddenly, I felt a misty consciousness as of something forgotten—a thrill of returning thought; and somehow the mystery of language was revealed to me. I knew that “w-a-t-e-r” meant the wonderful cool something that was moving over my hand. That living thing awaken my soul, gave it light, joy, set it free!

Reading Helen’s journey to word Everything had a name, and each name gave girth to a new thought. As we returned to the house every object which I touched seemed to quiver with life. Then my eyes filled with tears: for I realized what I had done, and for the first time I felt repentance and sorrow.

The expectant moments as a “great ship” shut in “white darkness”

The expectant moments Para 1: to understand two long sentences Para 2: the afternoon of “the eventful day” Para 3: white darkness

Language study the new language phenomena in the text Purposeful repetitions: wordless: L26, L56 reveal: L 30, L 64, everything has/had a name: L 42, L68 sorrow & regret / repentance: L51, L74 sentiment / sensation: L 53, L 56 thought: L56, L63, L69 New words list Phrases and expression list Exercises

After-Class Reading -Passage I: Foreign Accents -Passage II: Not Just Parrot-talk ① Student’s questions: 会计；国贸 会计国贸 ② Vocabulary & exercises

Part III: E1: enrich your language power E2: Br. English vs. Am. English: spelling Br. English vs. Am. English: expression E3.4.5: discussion on English learning: after-class

Part IV: translation 定语从句的翻译 2— 非限定性定语从句 认识非限定性定语从句： what, how, why 非限定性定语从句的翻译方法（英译中） 与限定性定于从句一样 why: 英语思维和中文思维对逻辑的理解 不一样

A minute for you to think  New words  New phrases  New concepts about language and language acquisition  More profound understanding about accent and variations in English spellings / expressions …