第一章英语语言学引论

第一章英语语言学引论ChapterIIntroductionWhystudylanguage

Language2.1Definition2.2Origin2.3Designfeatures2.4Functions2.5TypologyLinguistics3.1Definition3.2Scope3.3Importantdistinctions1.WhystudylanguageLanguageisanintegralpartofourlifeandhumanity.Yetweknowlittleorevenhavewrongideasaboutit.Wheredoeslanguagecomefrom?How?When?Whyislanguagehuman-specific?

Thefunctionoflanguageistoexchangeinformation.Howcanwesayonethingbutmeananother?Whycanachildlearnhis/hermothertonguesoeasily?Languagehasaform-meaningcorrespondence.Thesubjectoflanguageisintriguinganduseful.Languagecanbeusedasawayoffindingout:Howthebrainworks.Howchildrenlearnlanguage.Whypeopleusedifferentvarietiesoflanguage.Whattheroleoflanguageisindifferentcultures,etc.2.Language2.1DefinitionDifferentsensesBadlanguageShakespeare’slanguageBusinesslanguageTheEnglishlanguageAstudentoflanguageExpressionsIdiolectVarietyAbstractsystemUniversalpropertiesDefinitionoflanguageasaresearchsubjectLanguageisasystemofarbitraryvocalsymbolsusedforhumancommunication.Languageisasystemofarbitraryvocalsymbolsusedforhumancommunication.2.LanguageLanguageisasystemofarbitraryvocalsymbolsusedforhumancommunication.Languageissystematic.

Elementsarecombinedaccordingtorules.Languageisarbitrary.

Arosebyanyothernamewouldsmellassweet.语言是人类用于交际的任意有声符号系统。译2.LanguageLanguageisasystemofarbitraryvocalsymbolsusedforhumancommunication.Languageisbasicallyvocal.Theprimarymediumissoundforalllanguages.Languageissymbolic.

Itismeaninglessbyitself.Languageishuman-specific.BirdsongsandbeedancesLanguageiscommunicative.

Thatisitsmajorfunction.2.Language2.2Origin(ofspeech)Thedivinetheory

endowedbyGod(TheTowerofBabel)Thebow-wowtheory

imitativeofanimalcalls(mew,hiss)Thepooh-poohtheory

instinctivecriesoutofemotions(interjections)Theding-dongtheorynaturalresonancewhenstruck(ding-dong,bang)2.Language2.2Origin(ofspeech)Theyo-he-yotheoryrhythmicgruntswhenworking(heave,haul)SummaryLanguageoriginatedfromourexperienceoftheexternalandinternalworld,andourcontactwithothers.Itevolveswithinspecifichistorical,socialandculturalcontexts.Questionsfordiscussion:

Willthedaycomewhenalllanguagesbecomeone?Whatispossiblythefirstlanguage?Wheredoyouthinklanguagecamefrom?2.Language2.3DesignfeaturesDesignfeaturesrefertothedefiningpropertiesoflanguagethatdistinguishitfromanyanimalsystemofcommunication.Designfeaturesrefertothedefiningpropertiesoflanguagethatdistinguishitfromanyanimalsystemofcommunication.Arbitrariness任意性

nonaturalrelationshipbetweenmeaningandform

Arosebyanyothernamewouldsmellassweet.Duality二层性twohierarchicalstructuresofsoundsandwordsSoundsmeaningless;wordsmeaningful2.Language2.3DesignfeaturesCreativity

创造性

productivity,infiniteuseoffinitemeans

understand/producesentencesneverheardbefore.Displacement

移位性stimulusfree(genereralizationandabstraction)freefrombarriersbyseparationintimeandspace.

MORE?Culturaltransmission:moreculturalthangeneticInterchangeability:bothaproducerandareceiver2.4FunctionsHello!Getoutofmyway!Theearthrevolvesaroundthesun.Doyouknowhishobby?Ihateher.HowdoyoulikeJack?Iherebydeclarethemeetingopen.Tommy,DearFriendHumor;chanting;punsWhatImeanis;inotherwordsPhaticDirectiveInformativeInterrogativeExpressiveEvocativePerformativeInterpersonalRecreationalMetalinguistic2.4FunctionsLinguiststalkabouttheFUNCTIONSoflanguageinanabstractsense.Theysummarizepracticalfunctionsandattemptsomebroadclassifications.Jakobson(1960):referential(context),emotive(addresser),poetic(message),conative(addressee),phatic(contact),meta-lingual(code)Hallidayearly:instrumental,regulatory,representational,interactional,personal,heuristicandimaginative.Halliday(1994):ideational(logical),interpersonal(social)andtextual(relevant)2.Language2.4FunctionsInformative(ideational):toexpressthespeaker’sexperienceoftheexternalandinternalworldInterpersonal:toestablishandmaintainsocialrulesRecreational:torecreate/playwithwords

Metalingual:todescribelanguageitselfPerformative:toperformactions(directive)Emotive(expressive):overlappedwithexpressionoftheinnerexperiencePhatic:purelysocial/interpersonalTextual3.Linguistics3.1DefinitionLinguisticsisgenerallydefinedasthescientific

studyoflanguage.Asascience,itnowhasitsownsetofestablishedtheories,methodsandsub-branches.datageneralizationhypothesistheoryTheflowoflinguisticsstudy3.Linguistics3.2Scope3.Linguistics3.3ImportantdistinctionsDescriptivevs.prescriptive:be/shouldbeThisdistinctionliesinprescribinghowthingsoughttobeanddescribinghowthingsare.

Synchronicvs.diachronic:usuallycurrent/historicalTheformertakesafixedinstant,usuallythepresent,asitspointofobservation;thelatterstudiesalanguagethroughthecourseofitshistory.3.Linguistics3.3ImportantdistinctionsSpeechvs.writing:spoken/writtenlanguageSpeechisprimaryoverwriting,whichinturngiveslanguagenewscopeanduses.

Languevs.parole:abstrac