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Linguistic Anthropology
Design Features of Human Language
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Defining Language Charles Hockett
Attempting to identify the features that are unique to human language Started with thirteen features Charles Hockett ( )
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Design Features of Language
Vocal/auditory channel – uses vocal apparatus and ears Broadcast transmission / directional reception – sent in all directions; source can be discerned Rapid fading – signal is (very) impermanent Interchangeability – a person can say what they just heard
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Design Features of Language
Total feedback – a person can monitor themselves as they speak Specialization – sounds are used only for language purposes Semanticity – signals can be match to meanings Arbitrariness – sounds do not have an intrinsic relationship to their meanings
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Design Features of Language
Discreteness – sounds are separate units /p/ versus /b/ Displacement – can speak about what is not here and not now Productivity – human language is an open system; new utterances can be made form old ones Traditional transmission – learned from others
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Design Features of Language
Duality of patterning – meaningless phonemes can be infinitely combined into words / k + æ + t + s / Prevarication –falsehoods, lies, and meaningless statements Reflexiveness – Language can be used to discuss language
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Design Features of Language
Learnability – a speaker of one language can learn another language Grammaticality – a speaker follows rules when they produce sounds
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Which of These Are Unique to Humans?
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