Chapter 1 - Introducing the Study of Language Flashcards
Linguistic Competence
What we know when we know a language; the unconscious knowledge that a speaker has about her or his native language; a person’s ability to speak.
Linguistic Performance
The observable use of language. The actualization of one’s linguistic competence; putting your ability to speak into action even without the understanding of how.
Performance Error
Errors in language production or comprehension, including hesitations and slips of the tongue; impaired performance.
Speech Communication Chain
The process through which information is communicated, consisting of an information source, transmitter, signal, receiver, and destination; communicating an idea from person to another.
Speech Communication Chain Steps
Step 1: Information Source: Think of what you want to communicate.
Step 2: Transmitter: Physical expression towards speaking.
Step 3: Signal: Speak.
Step 4: Receiver: Listener hears sounds.
Step 5: Destination: Listener has received communicated idea.
Noise
Interference in the communication chain; unsuccessful communication.
Lexicon
A mental repository of linguistic information about words and other lexical expressions, including their form, meaning, morphological, and syntactic properties; all the words you know.
Mental Grammar
The mental representation of grammar. the knowledge that a speaker has about the linguistic units and rules of his native language.
Language Variation
The property of languages having different ways to express the same meanings in different contexts according to factors such as geography, social class, gender, etc.
Descriptive Grammar
Objective description of a speaker’s knowledge of a language based on their use of the language.
Writing is NOT the same as language
- Writing came after spoken language historically.
- Writing does not exist everywhere that spoke language does.
- Writing must be taught, whereas spoken language is acquired naturally.
- Writing can be edited before it is shared, but speech is more spontaneous.
Writing vs. Speech
- Writing can be edited to perfection.
- Writing must be taught and is associated with education and educated speech.
- Writing is more physically stable than spoke language.
Prescriptive Grammar
A set of rules designed to give instructions regarding the socially embedded notion of the “correct” or “proper” way to speak or write.
Prescribe
In relation to language, to tell someone how to speak or write according to the idea of what is “good” or “bad”.
Charles Hockett’s Nine Design Features
- Mode of communication
- Semanticity
- Pragmatic Function
- Interchangeability
- Cultural Transmission
- Arbitrariness
- Discreteness
- Displacement
- Productivity
Mode of Communication
Means through which a message is transmitted for any given communication system.
Semanticity
Property of having signals that convey a meaning, shared by all communication systems.
Pragmatic Function
The useful purpose of any given communication system.
Interchangeability
The property of a communication system by which all individuals have the ability to both transmit and review messages.
Cultural Transmission
Property of a communication system referring to the fact that at least some aspects of it are learned through interaction with other users of the system.
Arbitrariness
In relation to language, refers to the fact that a word’s meaning is not predictable from its linguistic form, nor is its form dictated by its meaning.
Linguistic Sign
The combination of a linguistic form and meaning.
Convention
A way that something is done.
Nonarbitrariness
Direct correspondence between the physical properties of a form and the meaning that the form refers to.
Iconic
Relationship between form and meaning such that the form of a word bears a resemblance to its meaning.
Onomatopoeia
Iconic use of words that are imitative of sounds occurring in nature or that have meanings that are associated with such sounds.
Conventionalized
Something that is established, commonly agreed upon, or operating in a certain way according to common practice.
Sound Symbolism
Phenomenon by which certain sounds are evocative of a particular meaning.
Discreteness
The property of communication systems by which complex messages may be built up out of smaller parts.
Displacement
The property of some communication systems that allows them to be used to communicate about things, actions and ideas that are not present at the place or time where communication is taking place.
Productivity
The capacity of a communication system for novel messages built out of discrete units to be produced and understood.
Modality
A mode of communication, which can tell how a language is produced and how a language is perceived.
Myths about signed languages
- Signed languages derive from spoke languages, rather than being languages in their own right.
- Signed language does not consist of words at all but rather involves signers using their hands to draw pictures in the air, or act out what they are talking about.
- There is only one signed language that is used by deaf speakers all over the world.
Codes vs. Languages
- A code represents a natural language and is an artificial system.
- It has no structure of its own.
- It borrows its structure from the natural language that it represents.
- Codes never have native speakers.
