Introduction to Language Flashcards
Natural Language
A naturally occurring communication system of arbitrary signs, which is transmitted through generations.
Arbitrary signs
Spoken or written words, or gestures which have no transparent or intrinsic relation between the sign and the reference (the meaning)
onomatopoeic words tell you about the reference
Communication system
A set of shared (implicit) rules that establish a systematic mapping between words and the world around us
Needs to be an exchange of information
Properties of language ‘rules’
Implicit - established through common use
Become less clear the more abstract the complexes become (talking about feelings)
Both speaker and listener have to use same rules to understand each other
Hockett’s design feature of human language
Semanticity
Displacement
Cultural transmission
Discreteness
Combination of units at several levels
Productivity
Arbitrariness
Duality of patterning
Recursive rule
a rule that can be re-applied to its output
self referential
sentence + modifier phrase = sentence (Alfie told Whitney + who told Laura = Alfie told Whitney who told Laura)
Semanticity
A fixed association between units of language (words) and aspects of the world (their meaning)
Displacement
The ability to talk about things that are not currently present.
Past, future, abstract concepts (emotions)
Cultural transmission
Children are able to learn languages in a community of native speakers
Cannot be instinctive behaviour
Discreteness
Linguistic units (words, syllables/sounds) are seen as separate and distinct from one another rather then a continuus thing
Productivity
new words and meanings can be generated due to knowing the ‘rules’ of the language and knowing how to use them
The recursive rule is an example of this.
Arbitrariness
Meaningful associations between units of language and the world are arbitrary
Duality of patterning
Many meaningful units are made by the combination of a small number of elements into various sequences.
