现代语言学理论和流派.ppt

1、Modern Linguistic Theories and Schools,1. Introduction,Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure”father of modern linguistics” “Course in General Linguistics” in 1916 marked the beginning of modern linguistics,Major contributions made by Saussure: Language is a system of signs. The linguistic unit is a s

2、ign. The sign is the union of a form (sound image) and an idea (concept,E.g. “chalk” signifier: signified: the object it refers to The bond between the signifier and the signified is arbitrary,He made a distinction between langue and parole. Questions: What is langue? What is parole? What are their

3、differences,An utterance is a unit of parole. A sentence is a unit of langue. Two utterances can be the realization of the same sentence,Another great contribution made by him to general linguistics is the distinction between synchronic studies and diachronic studies. Language exists in time and cha

4、nges through time,2. The Prague School 布拉格学派,1926, 1st meeting of Circle of Linguistics of Prague. Its most important contribution to linguistics is that it sees language in terms of FUNCTION,Three points are of special importance of the many ideas developed in Prague School: It was stressed that th

5、e synchronic study of language is fully justified. emphasis on the systemic character of language. Language is looked on as functional, as a tool performing a number of essential functions or tasks for the community using it,The Prague School is best known and remembered for its contribution to phon

6、ology and the distinction between phonetics and phonology,FSPFunctional Sentence Perspective功能句子观 It is a theory of linguistic analysis which refers to an analysis of utterances (or texts) in terms of the information they contain (to describe how information is distributed in sentences,A sentence co

7、ntains a point of departure and a THEME主位 goal of discourse. RHEME述位 e.g. John stood over there. Over there stood John,3. The London School 伦敦学派,J. R. Firth was influenced by the anthropologist B. Malinowski and in turn influenced his student M. A. K. Halliday. The three men all stressed the importa

8、nce of context of situation and the system aspect of language,Malinowski Firth Halliday: Systemic-Functional Grammar The systemic grammar aims to explain the internal relations in language as a system network. Functional grammar aims to reveal that language is a means of social interaction,Systemic

9、Grammar,Functional Grammar: a. Ideational function is to convey new information, to communicate a context that is unknown to the hearer,b. Interpersonal function embodies all uses of language to express social and personal relation,c. Textual function refers to the fact that languages has mechanisms

10、 to make any stretch of spoken or written discourse into a coherent and unified text,4. American Structuralism 美国结构主义,It emerged in the United States at the beginning of 20th century. Under the leadership of the anthropologist F. Boas. Early period: Boas and Sapir,Bloomfields theory: Linguistics is

11、a branch of psychology, especially of behaviorism. Behaviorism is a principle of scientific method, based on the belief that human beings can not know anything they have not experienced,Structural grammar IC analysis Immediate Constituent Analysis hierarchical relations, not sequential. binary structure E.g. Peter, John and Mary,5.Transformational-Generative Grammar 转换生成语法,Founder: A. N. Chomsky the innateness hypothesis Chomsky believes that language is somewhat innate. Children are bo