LF Ch 1 13th ed

What Is Language?

  • Language touches all parts of life, giving words to thoughts, voice to ideas, and expression to feelings.

  • It is a complex, systematic ability that humans use effortlessly and acquire automatically.

  • This book will explore various aspects and studies of language.

Contents

1.1 Introducing the Study of Language

  • Discusses facts and misconceptions about language.

  • Outlines themes for the book and how to utilize it effectively.

1.2 What You Know When You Know a Language

  • Details about the knowledge a language user possesses.

  • Introduces the communication chain and linguistic structure components.

  • Explains descriptive generalizations as a study method in language.

1.3 Other (Non-Essential) Aspects of Knowing a Language

  • Covers writing and prescriptive rules as common but non-essential aspects of language competency.

  • Explains why these are not primary focuses in linguistic study.

1.4 Design Features of Language

  • Presents characteristics that define human language and differentiate it from other communication systems.

1.5 Language Modality

  • Discusses differences and similarities between signed and spoken languages.

  • Emphasizes the importance of studying both modalities in linguistics.

1.6 Practice

  • Includes exercises, discussion questions, activities, and further readings related to language study.

File 1.1: Introducing the Study of Language

1.1.1 Why Study Language?

  • Language is unique to humans; it allows complex expression and comprehension.

  • Supports various roles and identities in social interactions.

  • Reflects individual and societal aspects.

  • Practical applications include language instruction, computational linguistics, and treatment for language disorders.

1.1.2 Surprising Facts About Language

  • No known language without cardinal directions instead of right and left (e.g., some Indigenous languages).

  • Over 7,000 spoken languages, with 90% of the world speaking only a fraction.

  • Some languages have unique verb forms for hearsay.

  • Language reflects brain activity in specific areas.

  • Rules like "don't split infinitives" originate from linguistic prescriptivism, not innate logic.

1.1.3 Misconceptions About Language

  • Misconceptions include faulty beliefs about language use, animal communication, and grammar rules.

  • Examples:

    1. Lingering beliefs about illogical speech patterns.

    2. The assumed superiority of writing over speech.

    3. Ideas about "primitive" languages and their capabilities.

1.1.4 Underlying Themes of Linguistic Study

  • Language is systematic, diverse, and changes over time.

  • Characteristics include innate language acquisition and universal properties across languages.

File 1.2: What You Know When You Know a Language

1.2.1 Linguistic Competence vs. Performance

  • Competence: knowledge of language.

  • Performance: observable usage of language, influenced by various conditions.

  • Linguists focus on competence to understand systematic rules governing speech.

1.2.2 The Speech Communication Chain

  • Communication involves a cycle of encoding an idea into speech and decoding it upon reception.

  • Steps include:

    1. Idea conception.

    2. Word formation and pronunciation.

    3. Acoustic transmission.

    4. Listener perception and interpretation.

1.2.3 Linguistic Knowledge Categories

  • Phonetics: production and perception of speech sounds.

  • Phonology: sound system and rules of language.

  • Morphology: word formation and structure.

  • Syntax: rules for combining words into sentences.

  • Semantics: meaning interpretation of words and sentences.

  • Pragmatics: understanding context in conversation.

1.2.4 Storage of Linguistic Competence

  • Competence is stored in a lexicon (word inventory) and a mental grammar (rules governing language).

1.2.5 Descriptive Grammars in Linguistics

  • Linguists analyze performance to uncover competence rules.

  • Descriptive rules are derived from observation, while prescriptive grammars are often biased and by popular consensus.

File 1.3: Other (Non-Essential) Aspects of Knowing a Language

1.3.1 Writing Vs. Speech

  • Writing is not central to knowing a language; it is secondary to speech, which is the primary mode of communication.

  • Writing systems are artificially created and not universal; spoken language can exist without writing.

1.3.2 Prescriptive Grammar Misconceptions

  • Prescriptive grammar: rules that dictate how a language should be used.

  • Misconceptions arise from misuse and misunderstanding of grammatical rules, often reflecting societal norms rather than innate language structure.

1.3.3 Language Change and Variation

  • Language evolves over time; prescriptive rules do not account for natural language shifts.

  • Prescriptive rules often reflect historical biases rather than current usage.

File 1.4: Design Features of Language

1.4.1 Characteristics of Language

  • Hockett's design features define what distinguishes human language:

    1. Mode of Communication

    2. Semanticity

    3. Pragmatic Function

    4. Interchangeability

    5. Cultural Transmission

    6. Arbitrariness

    7. Discreteness

    8. Displacement

    9. Productivity

1.4.2 Nature of Linguistic Signs

  • Linguistic signs consist of a form associated with a meaning; this connection is often arbitrary.

1.4.3 Limitations of Design Features

  • Not all communication systems are language; formal and constructed languages differ from natural languages.