Module 1: Introduction Flashcards
About how many languages are there in the world?
Approx 6,000
What university created this course?
Leiden University
Where is the university located?
In Leiden and The Hague in the Netherlands.
How many times per week do they recommend visiting the course?
A minimum of three times per week.
What are the dimensions in which human language and animal communication are different?
- Discrete infinity
- Displacement
- Joint attention
Explain the term “discreet infinity.”
Discrete - limited or countable. A discreet system like the alphabet (26 letters in English)
Infinity - Can use this discreet set to create infinite sentences.
In addition to an alphabet and language, what is another system of discreet infinity?
numbers
In what way does discrete infinity define a difference between human and animal communication?
Animals have a limited number of signs/calls and can only create a small number of combinations. They cannot combine their calls to make more and more complicated systems.
What are the different types of displacement referred to?
- In time
- In space
- Abstract notions
What is a limited form of displacement used by an animal?
Bees can “talk” about where they have seen honey through their dances and wiggles.
What is joint attention in this context?
Shared goals, intentionality, cooperation.
What do we use language for?
- Communicate
- Think
- Show who we are and what group of humans we are/belong to
Important factors of languages
- Native speakers, people learn as infants
- Can speak about anything in the language
- Recognized by a group as their language
Is sign language a “real” language as studied by linguistics?
Yes
What things do we call languages in English that are not considered languages by linguistics?
- Computer programming languages
- Language of Flowers
- Language of Music
Are all gestures language?
No, not all gestures are part of a system that is considered a language, like sign language or a spoken language.
In what circumstances could an individual not have language?
- “Wolf Children”
- grow up without parents
- grow up without parents who communicate with them (deafness, abuse) - People with aphasia, often caused by strokes
Is language common to all humans?
We say that language is common to all humans because except in the case of extreme impairment, he or she is able to develop language.
What are the two theories of the evolution of language called?
- Continuity based theories
- Discontinuity based theories
What is the continuity based theory of language evolution?
Human language is based on animal communication, just a more complicated form
What is the discontinuity based theory of language evolution?
- Human language is really different from animal communication, not just a development of it
- Something must have happened in our evolutionary development to make language possible
Why do we not all speak the same language?
- Communication may not be the only function of language (I am different)
- Every generation has to the learn the language and language is very complicated -imperfect learning
- Language changes over time
Do all languages have the same origin, a common original language?
Likely but will probably never be proven.
Why is it impossible to prove there was a common language?
Homo sapiens started to spread out from East Africa 100,000 years ago but written language is only 5,000 years old so no record of “original” language.
Do Dothraki, Elvish and Klingon count as languages?
No, these are not “natural languages.”
They types of languages are artificial languages, often created by linguists, but there are no native speakers.
