Introduction to linguistic class presentation

introduction to linguistic

1. Intro to LinguisticsIntro to Linguistics
Class # 2Class # 2
Chapter 1: What is Language? Chapter 1: What is Language?

2. Review: Basic ConceptsReview: Basic Concepts
•What is Linguistics?What is Linguistics?
•What is Language?What is Language?
•What is Grammar? What is Grammar?

3. GrammarGrammar
Adapted, in part, from Dr. Weigle’s classesAdapted, in part, from Dr. Weigle’s classes
•PRESCRIPTIVE GRAMMARPRESCRIPTIVE GRAMMAR
Purists, who believe that grammar changes corrupt Purists, who believe that grammar changes corrupt
the language, wish to prescribe certain forms for the language, wish to prescribe certain forms for
everyone to use in speaking and writing. everyone to use in speaking and writing.
(distinction between GOOD and BAD (distinction between GOOD and BAD
language)language)
Prescriptivists think that they are saving the pure Prescriptivists think that they are saving the pure
language from destruction, but fail to see that language from destruction, but fail to see that
language is constantly changing.language is constantly changing.

4. ExampleExample
•The case of the disappearing endingsThe case of the disappearing endings
Newer (reduced) FormNewer (reduced) FormOlder (full) FormOlder (full) Form
skim milkskim milk skimmed milkskimmed milk
ice creamice cream iced creamiced cream
PopcornPopcorn popped cornpopped corn
roast beefroast beef roasted beefroasted beef
wax paperwax paper waxed paperwaxed paper
ice teaice tea iced teaiced tea
whip creamwhip cream whipped creamwhipped cream
cream corncream corn creamed corncreamed corn

5. GRAMMARGRAMMAR
•DESCRIPTIVE GRAMMARDESCRIPTIVE GRAMMAR
 Descriptive grammar does not tell you how you Descriptive grammar does not tell you how you
should speakshould speak
 No grammar (dialect) is superior to any other. All No grammar (dialect) is superior to any other. All
dialects are capable of expressing any thoughtdialects are capable of expressing any thought
 Similarly, no language is superior or inferior to any Similarly, no language is superior or inferior to any
other languageother language
I don’t have noneI don’t have none and and I don’t have anyI don’t have any are equally are equally
grammaticalgrammatical

6. What does it mean to know a What does it mean to know a
language? language?
•Linguistic KnowledgeLinguistic Knowledge
Knowledge of the Sound System (Phonetics and Knowledge of the Sound System (Phonetics and
Phonology) Phonology)
You unconsciously know what sounds are in your You unconsciously know what sounds are in your
language and what sounds are not (and what language and what sounds are not (and what
positions they can occur) positions they can occur)
Example: can you start a word in English with Example: can you start a word in English with
MB? MB?

7. What does it mean to know a What does it mean to know a
language? language?
•Knowledge of words (Morphology and Lexicon) Knowledge of words (Morphology and Lexicon)
Relationship between form and meaning is arbitrary. Relationship between form and meaning is arbitrary.
 Relationship between words and signs (sign language) Relationship between words and signs (sign language)
is also arbitrary is also arbitrary
Even onomatopoeic words are sometimes arbitrary (Even onomatopoeic words are sometimes arbitrary (
http://www.georgetown.edu/faculty/ballc/animals/anihttp://www.georgetown.edu/faculty/ballc/animals/ani
mals.htmlmals.html
) )
 Even if people know all the words listed in the Even if people know all the words listed in the
dictionary, it doesn’t mean that they know the language dictionary, it doesn’t mean that they know the language

8. What does it mean to know a What does it mean to know a
language? language?
•Knowledge of syntaxKnowledge of syntax
Knowing a language also means knowing the rules of putting Knowing a language also means knowing the rules of putting
words together to form sentenceswords together to form sentences
 Linguistic creativity means that every speaker of a language Linguistic creativity means that every speaker of a language
is able to produce sentences that were never said and is able to produce sentences that were never said and
understand sentences that were never heardunderstand sentences that were never heard
•Theoretically, there is no limit to the length of a sentence, Theoretically, there is no limit to the length of a sentence,
therefore there is no limit to the number of sentences in a therefore there is no limit to the number of sentences in a
language (Tlanguage (The old, old, old,…man camehe old, old, old,…man came))
•Even though we have the Even though we have the competencecompetence to produce infinitely to produce infinitely
long sentences, there are limitations on our long sentences, there are limitations on our performanceperformance..
Open access principle (Chomsky) VS. Idiom Principle Open access principle (Chomsky) VS. Idiom Principle
(John Sinclair)(John Sinclair)

9. What does it mean to know a What does it mean to know a
language? language?
•Knowledge of semanticsKnowledge of semantics
You know different sentences with the same You know different sentences with the same
meaningmeaning
 you know how to determine the meaning of you know how to determine the meaning of
sentences sentences

10. What does it mean to know a What does it mean to know a
language? language?
WHAT ELSE??WHAT ELSE??

11. Different ways of looking at languageDifferent ways of looking at language
•““Of course, you’re unlikely to be attracted to Of course, you’re unlikely to be attracted to
nursing because of the money.” nursing because of the money.”
FORM (subject, verb, prepositional phrase, etc.)FORM (subject, verb, prepositional phrase, etc.)
FUCTION (who is “you”; why is the author so FUCTION (who is “you”; why is the author so
confident?; ways of soften the possible confident?; ways of soften the possible
arrogance) arrogance)

12. Different ways of Different ways of
looking at language looking at language
•(a) Language is a group of rules that are prescribed by (a) Language is a group of rules that are prescribed by
the “authorities”the “authorities”
•(b) Language is based on intuitive data and isolated and (b) Language is based on intuitive data and isolated and
invented sentences. The study of language in use is not invented sentences. The study of language in use is not
interesting. interesting.
•(c) Language is what speakers actually use in different (c) Language is what speakers actually use in different
contexts. Meaning is socially constructed. contexts. Meaning is socially constructed.

13. FORM – CHOMSKYFORM – CHOMSKY
Generative GrammarGenerative Grammar
•Go beyond describing syntactic rules and Go beyond describing syntactic rules and
explain why language is structured the way it isexplain why language is structured the way it is
•Eg. S Eg. S  NP + VP NP + VP
•Find general rules (that are universal) Find general rules (that are universal)
•Each sentence is analyzed in complete isolation. Each sentence is analyzed in complete isolation.
•It gives us insights about how our brain worksIt gives us insights about how our brain works

14. Chomsky (Generative Grammar)Chomsky (Generative Grammar)
•Distinction between competence Distinction between competence
(knowledge/no errors) and performance (knowledge/no errors) and performance
(language in use) (language in use)

15. Language UniversalsLanguage Universals
•Some parts of a grammar pertain to the particular Some parts of a grammar pertain to the particular
language described. Other parts belong to all language described. Other parts belong to all
languages. These are called languages. These are called universalsuniversals..
•Linguists are interested in finding the laws of particular Linguists are interested in finding the laws of particular
languages. There is greater interest in finding the languages. There is greater interest in finding the
Universal Grammar (UG)Universal Grammar (UG)..
•Chomsky believes that UG is a part of biological faculty Chomsky believes that UG is a part of biological faculty
endowed to human beings that facilitates their endowed to human beings that facilitates their
acquisition of language. This faculty is known as acquisition of language. This faculty is known as
Language Acquisition Device (LAD)Language Acquisition Device (LAD)

16. Evidence for Universal GrammarEvidence for Universal Grammar
•Children acquire at least one language even though they Children acquire at least one language even though they
hardly get explicit instructionhardly get explicit instruction
•Children acquiring different languages in different parts Children acquiring different languages in different parts
of the world go through the same stagesof the world go through the same stages
•Socioeconomic factors do not seem to have a Socioeconomic factors do not seem to have a
significant impact on this acquisition.significant impact on this acquisition.
•Chomsky’s explanation is that children do not have to Chomsky’s explanation is that children do not have to
figure out the universal linguistic laws because it is a figure out the universal linguistic laws because it is a
part of the LAD.part of the LAD.

17. Halliday – Functional GrammarHalliday – Functional Grammar
•Looks at the context; look for meanings and Looks at the context; look for meanings and
ways of expressing meanings in different ways of expressing meanings in different
contextscontexts
•Tries to answer questions about the way our Tries to answer questions about the way our
social context is structured social context is structured