Guest, Kenneth J., Cultural Anthropology, Ch 4

Language

A system of communication organized by rules that uses symbols such as words, sounds, and gestures to convey information

Descriptive Linguistics

the study of the sounds, symbols, and gestures of a language, and their combination into forms that communicate meaning

Phonemes

the smallest units of sound that can make a difference in meaning

Phonology

Study of what sounds exist and are important in a particular language

Morphemes

the smallest units of sound that carry meaning on their own

Morphology

the study of patterns and rules of how sounds combine to make morphemes

Syntax

Specific patterns and rules for combining morphemes to construct phrases and sentences

Grammar

the combined set of observations about the rules governing the formation of morphemes and syntax that guide language use

Kinesics

the study of the relationship between body movements and communication

Paralanguage

an extensive set of noises (such as cries) and tones of voice that convey significant information about the speaker

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

the idea that different languages create different ways of thinking

Lexicon

all the words for names, ideas, and events that make up a language's dictionary

Focal Vocabulary

the words and terminology that develop with particular sophistication to describe the unique cultural realities experienced by a group of people

Sociolinguistics

Study of the ways culture shapes language and language shapes culture, particularly the intersection of language with cultural categories and systems of power such as age, race, gender, sexuality and class

Dialect

a nonstandard variation of a language

Prestige Language

a particular language variation or way of speaking that is associated with wealth, success, education, and power

Code Switching

switching back and forth between one linguistic variant and another depending on the cultural context

Historical Linguistics

the study of the development of language over time, including its changes and variations

Language Continuum

the idea that variation in languages appears gradually over distance so that groups of people who live near one another speak in a way that is mutually intelligible

Language Loss

the extinction of languages that have very few speakers