chapter 1 - origins of language Flashcards
define language
- method of human communication by written or spoken words.
- which is used by the people of particular country or area
who said “in the lives of individuals and societies, speech is more important than anything else.” ?
Ferdinand de Saussure
who said “words are the tools for the job of saying what we want to say.” ?
Bergen Evans
who said, “the languages we sea affect our perceptions of the world.” ?
Lera Boroditsky
3 interrelated purposes?
- sociocultural = language as system of values
- linguistic = language as medium of expression
- psycholinguistics = language as vehicle of/for thought
human language - subjects & objects
what are the historical significance?
its a way to communicate with each other identity as object - like he, she, they
human language - subjects & objects
what are the individual or psychological significance?
its a way to understand ourselves identity as subject - I
what are sociolinguistics?
- we understand ourselves, each other, & the world through language
- we also take part in creating it
- this is why studying the connection between language & society is also important to understanding ourselves!
part 1 - the study & story of language
what is the background story?
- humans have been telling stories for a very long time
- though the walls we “paint” on may have changed…
- stories shape our identity and tells us who we should be!
part 1 - the study & story of language
language is always fluid…
never fixed.
what is language a reflection of?
- social, cultural, individual identity
- portrait of humanity & many cultures we have created using words
is language always changing?
- yes!
- humans are always changing & language changes to reflect this change!
- society is the end result of this process
who said, “humans are by nature a political animal.” ?
Aristotle
who said, “the truth about stories is that that’s all we are.” ?
Thomas King
