Introduction to Linguistics - Topic 1.1 Vocabulary Flashcards

What is Linguistics?

  • Definition: The scientific study of human language.

    • Source phrasing: "the scientific study of human language" (Unit 1, Topic 1.1).

  • Core questions introduced early:

    • What is linguistics?

    • What is language?

    • What do linguists do?

  • Context: This is Ling 1000 – Introduction to Linguistics, with foundational concepts that will be built upon in later units.

What is Language?

  • Language as a communication system (simplified definition on slides):

    • Focus: a structured human communication system characterized by certain features (to be discussed later).

  • Examples of languages and related systems:

    • Human languages: English, Cantonese, Cree, American Sign Language (ASL).

    • Non-human systems of communication: computer languages, dolphin language.

    • Metaphorical/extended notions: love languages, body language.

  • The focus of linguistics: understanding what language is and how it works as a system of communication.

  • Distinctions highlighted:

    • Signs vs sounds as carriers of meaning (spoken vs signed languages).

    • Language as a cognitive and social phenomenon, not just a collection of words.

  • Emphasis on languages as structured systems with the ability to convey complex ideas, plans, stories, desires, opinions, social relations, etc.

What Do Linguists Do?

  • Core claim: Linguists study human language.

    • Definition on slides: "LINGUISTS study human language".

  • The basic relationship in language: sounds or signs map to meanings.

    • Example framing: Sound [kæt] and its meaning illustrate the link between form and meaning.

    • For sign languages, the mapping is between signs and meanings.

  • The five fundamental levels of linguistic structure (as identified in the course):

    • Phonetics

    • Phonology

    • Morphology

    • Syntax

    • Semantics

  • A schematic view: Language connects sounds (or signs) and meaning.

    • I say something, and you understand what I mean.

The Five Levels (Overview) and Key Concepts

  • Phonetics: the physical production and perception of speech sounds.

    • Phenomena covered: how we move our mouth to produce sounds; how our ears perceive these sounds.

    • Example prompt: "What are you doing differently when you say pa ta ka?" to illustrate articulation and perception.

  • Phonology: the systematic organization of sounds in a language.

    • Idea: Speech sounds are organized into a system; certain sequences are allowed, others are not (e.g., flirt cannot be → rftil is not possible in English).

  • Morphology: the structure of words and how they are formed.

    • Key idea: Sounds are grouped into meaningful units (morphemes).

    • Examples: words like "lock" vs. affixes like "un-"; how many units are in a word like "unlockable"; how the units can be combined in more than one way (e.g., unlock, lockable).

  • Syntax: the structure of sentences and how words combine to form higher-level units.

    • Sentences have complex structure and can have more than one meaning depending on underlying structure.

    • Examples given: "I saw an elephant in pajamas."; "An angry cow injured a farmer with an ax."; "Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana."

  • Semantics: sentence meaning and the influence of context on meaning.

    • Example: The sentence "It’s getting late" can have multiple meanings depending on context.

  • Note on context: Meaning is context-dependent; interpretation can shift with situational factors.

Language Use

  • Functional aspects of language: language enables us to convey knowledge, make plans, tell stories, express desires and opinions, persuade, and maintain social relationships.

  • These examples underline the role of language in social and cognitive life as a tool for coordination, expression, and meaning-making.

What Is Language? (Deeper Focus)

  • Language as a structured system used to convey knowledge, plans, stories, desires, opinions, persuasion, and social bonding.

  • The focus of linguistics includes how language is learned, used in social contexts, and how it varies across speakers and communities.

How Do Linguists Study Language? A Practical View

  • After the introduction, course will proceed through five levels in order:

    • Morphology

    • Phonetics

    • Phonology

    • Syntax

    • Semantics

  • The easiest starting point is often morphology, followed by sound-based analyses and sentence structure, with meaning analyzed later.

  • Linguistics is not just a theoretical enterprise; it emphasizes problem-solving and the application of skills (e.g., transcription, word-structure analysis, sentence diagrams).