UNIT 1 - LINGUISTICS

WHAT IS LINGUISTICS?

-          DEFINITION: it is the scientific and systematic study of language. Its aims are the description and the formulation of hypothesis about the structure of each language. LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE is the ability to produce and understand an unlimited number of utterances. GRAMMAR is a mental system consisting of a complex hierarchy of levels that allows us to form and interpret the language.

-          These levels, sub-disciplines or COMPONENTS OF THE GRAMMAR are:

   o   PHONETICS: is about the characteristics of spoken language (speech sounds).

    o PHONOLOGY: every language consists of a sequence of phonemes (abstract sounds) to build meaningful utterances.

    o   MORPHOLOGY: deals with the rules governing the combination of morphemes (meaningful sequences of phonemes) to form words.

     o   SYNTAX: is the combination of words to produce phrases.

     o   SEMANTICS: is the study of the meaning and interpretation of words.

     o   PRAGMATICS: studies the meaning and function of language in context.

-          CHARACTERISTICS: Linguistics is descriptive (linguists describe language but don’t prescribe rules), its primary object is spoken language and it tries to set up a universal framework for all languages.

-          BRANCHES:

    o   HISTORICAL LINGUISTICS: is concerned with the description and explanation of language change.


WHAT IS LANGUAGE?

-          DEFINITION: it is a system of signs used for communicative purposes that have both humans and animals but differs in the nature and amount of the signs.

-          TYPES:

    o   ICONIC SIGNS: are not arbitrary (have a resemblance to the referent) Examples are onomatopoeic words and most animal communication.

    o   INDEXICAL SIGNS: point out the referent partially and convey emotions spontaneously. Examples are the smoke (index of fire) or fever (index of illness). They are used by human and animal communication.

   o   SYMBOLIC SIGNS: are arbitrary. Human language is basically symbolic but certain animals use them (cries).

“Communication” relies on using something to stand for something else; however, HUMAN LANGUAGE is a very specific and distinct way of representing the world and passing on information.

-          CHARACTERISTICS of human languages are: interchangeability (primates too), arbitrariness (bees too), displacement (in bee’s dancing too), learnability (birds too), discreteness (some evidence), tradition (some evidence), creativity/productivity, duality, patterning, reflexiveness, modality and prevarication/intentionality.

    o   NEUROLINGUISTICS: studies how language is represented and processed in the brain.

    o   PSYCHOLINGUISTICS: studies the mechanisms involved in producing and understanding language in everyday situations.

    o   SOCIOLINGUISTICS: studies the language use in interaction and the impact of extra-linguistic factors of language.

    o   COMPUTATIONAL LINGUISTICS: is the use of computers as a tool to understand or implement linguistic theories.