chpt 1 voc list 34 terms Flashcards
linguistic performance
The ability to produce and comprehend sentences in a language.
the observable use of language; the actualization of one’s linguistic competence.
performance error
errors in language production or comprehension, including hesitations and slips of the tongue
speech communication chain
the process through which information is communicated, consisting of an information source, transmitter, signal, receiver and destination.
speech communication chain steps
- Think of what you want to communicate
- Pick out words to express the idea
- Put these words together in a certain order following rules
- Figure out how to pronounce these words
- Send those pronunciations to your vocal anatomy
- Speak: send the sounds through the air
- Perceive: listener hears the sounds
- Decode: listener interprets sounds as language
- Connect: listener receives communicated idea
linguistic competence
what we know when we know a language; the unconscious knowledge that a speaker has about his or her native language
noise
interference in the communication chain
lexicon
mental repository of linguistic information about words and other lexical expressions, including form, meaning, morphological and syntactic properties
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
descriptive grammar
objective description of a speaker’s knowledge of a language based on their use of the language
evidence that writing and language are not the same (list 4 reasons)
a. archaeological evidence (6000 years ago)
b. writing doesn’t exist everywhere
c. writing must be taught
d. neurological evidence (areas of brain)
e. writing can be edited
reasons some people believe writing to be superior to speech (list 3 reasons)
a. writing can be edited
b. writing must be taught
c. writing is more physically stable
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
use rules and conventions to tell a speaker the way he should or shouldn’t use a language
Charles Hockett’s nine design features (necessary for a communication system to be considered a language) (list)
- 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
refers to the fact that 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 its meaning
convention
something that is established, commonly agreed upon, or operating in a certain way according to common practice
nonarbitrariness
direct correspondence between the physical properties of a form and the meaning that the form refers to
iconic
describes a 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 sound occurring in nature or that have meanings that are associated with such sounds
conventionalized
the adjective to describe a convention in society
sound symbolism
phenomenon by which certain sounds are evocative of a certain meaning ([i] implies smallness at times)
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 of communication
productivity
the capacity of a communication system (unique to human language) for novel messages built out of discrete units to be produced and understood
modality
mode of communication
myths about signed languages (list 4)
- Signed languages are codes for local spoken languages (derived from those spoken languages)
- Sign languages are pantomime
a. They don’t have internal structure
b. They are completely iconic - Signed languages are universally the same
differences between codes and languages (list 4)
- a code is artificially constructed
- a code represents another language
- a code borrows its structure from a language
- a code never has a native speaker
- a language generally transmits information more quickly and efficiently
