Chapter 1

Question 1

language

Answer 1

structured system of arbitrary vocal/signed symbols used to make human connection

Question 2

arbitrary

Answer 2

no inherent relationship between form of word and sound.

Question 3

linguistics

Answer 3

scientific study of human language

Question 4

society

Answer 4

group of individuals that depend on eachother, that develop own internal norms+values

Question 5

sociolinguistics

Answer 5

subfield within linguistics that examine :
- how society affects language
- how language affects society
–> try to make generalisations how language used in different context+understand social norms intertwined with language use

Question 6

people use language to…

Answer 6

• create+express identities
• relate to one another in groups
• resist, protect, increase various kind of power

Question 7

whorfian hypothesis

Answer 7

theory that focusses on question: how does a particular language you speak affects the way you think about the world?
can be divided in two versions:
- strong: linguistic determinism
- weaker: linguistic relativism

Question 8

linguistic determinism

Answer 8

language determines ability to categorise, think, perceive etc–> frames the way we think about the world–> if your language doesn’t have a word for it, you can’t understand it

Question 9

linguistic relativism

Answer 9

language influences ability to categorise, think, perceive etc–> doesn’t determine it tho–> can still understand a concept if your language doesn’t have a word for it

Question 10

why is linguistic determinism not very plausible?

Answer 10

because translation is possible/ you can get a good idea idea of what a word means even if you don’t have that specific word in your language/acquire new word for that meaning–> this wouldn’t be possible if determinism was real

Question 11

Chomsky
competence=

Answer 11

unconscious knowledge everyone has over grammatical rules language. These rules are mostly unwritten, just the norm. It’s an abstract process you can’t record

Question 12

chomsky
permance=

Answer 12

way individuals actually use language. This can be directly observed, measured, recorded etc
(SCL focusses on performance)

Question 13

idiolects

Answer 13

individuals’ distinctive way of speaking

Question 14

communicative competence

Answer 14

how to use language appropriately in the real world. Different (social)situations ask for adaption, if not done correctly there are social consequences

Question 15

descriptive

Answer 15

focusses on describing how language users actually use their language, making sense of, comparing that etc
–> doesn’t come with preconceived notions of correctness or preferring certain language of social group better over others

Question 16

prescriptive

Answer 16

concerned with how language should be used correctly and enforcing these rules
–> one of the places where power comes in–> enforcing certain variety of language can give individuals power of others that don’t use it

Question 17

power

Answer 17

ability to control actions of self and of others–> linguistic recources we have play important rolein how much power we have

Question 18

identity

Answer 18

not a fixed thing, construct and change in particular context you are in–> draw conclusion/make assumptions about people and their identities based on language they use and how

Question 19

indexical

Answer 19

association of a code/linguistic form with particular social meaning

Question 20

linguistic profiling

Answer 20

using accent, speech and other auditory cues related to language to identify social charecteristics of individual (usually for purpose of discriminating against)

Question 21

code

Answer 21

system with two/more people communicate with eachother

Question 22

variants

Answer 22

different structures of expressing the same meaning

Question 23

variation accross speakers

Answer 23

reflections of different ways people speak in different regions/social groups

Question 24

variation within single speaker

Answer 24

no one speaks same all the time, exploit variation within language for different purposes/social meanings

Question 25

solidarity

Answer 25

motivation which causes individual to act together+feel common bond which influences social actions–> intertwined w identity formation+group formation