戴炜栋英语语言学概论Chapter 1概要

1、Requirements for the course,Learn some general concepts and theories of linguistics. Use the theories to explain some language phenomena. Guide language learning and language research. Read related linguistic works.,Contents to Learn,Introduction Phonology 音位学 Morphology 形态学 Syntax 句法学 Semantics 语义学

2、 Pragmatics 语用学,Language Change Language and Society Language and Culture Language Acquisition语言习得 Second Language Acquisition Language and Brain,Chapter 1 Introduction,What is linguistics? what is language?,What is linguistics?,Linguistics is generally defined as the scientific study of language. I

3、t is a scientific study because it is based on the systematic investigation of linguistic data, conducted with reference to some general theory of language structure.,General linguistics,The scope of linguistics,phonetics,phonology,morphology,syntax,semantics,pragmatics,Applied linguistics,In a broa

4、d sense:,sociolinguistics,psycholinguistics,neurolinguistics,In a narrow sense:,language teaching,The major branches of linguistics (1),Phonetics studies the sounds used in linguistic communication. Phonology studies how sounds are put together and used to convey meaning in communication. (sound sys

5、tem) Morphology studies how the sounds are arranged and combined to form words.,The major branches of linguistics (2),Syntax studies the rules which govern how words are combined to form grammatically permissible sentences in languages. Semantics studies meaning conveyed by language. Pragmatics stud

6、ies the meaning in the context of language use.,Some important distinctions in linguistics,prescriptive vs. descriptive (P3) synchronic vs. diachronic (P4) speech and writing (P4) langue and parole (P4-5) competence and performance (P5) traditional grammar and modern linguistics (P5-6),prescriptive

7、vs. descriptive,Prescriptive study aims to lay down rules for “correct and standard” behavior in using language. Descriptive study aims to describe and analyze the language people actually use.,English linguistics is a kind of descriptive linguistics.,synchronic vs. diachronic,Swiss linguist: Ferdin

8、and de Saussure 弗迪南德索绪尔 Synchronic study studies a language at some point of time in history. Diachronic study studies the historical development of language over a period of time.,speech meaningless. Higher level: morphemes and words; grammatically-meaningful. The units at the higher level can be a

9、rranged and rearranged into an infinite number of sentences.,Displacement,Language can be used to refer to context removed from the immediate situations of the speaker. This property provides speakers with an opportunity to talk about a wide range of things, free from barriers caused by separation i

10、n time and place.,Cultural transmission,Language is culturally transmitted. It is passed on from one generation to the next through teaching and learning, rather than by instinct.,Functions of language,Three main functions: Descriptive function Expressive function Social function,Descriptive functio

11、n,The descriptive function is the function to convey factual information, which can be asserted or denied, and in some cases even verified. E.g. China has the largest population in the world.,Expressive function,The expressive function supplies information about the users feelings, preferences, prej

12、udices, and values. E.g. I dislike him; he always tells lies.,Social function,The social function serves to establish and maintain social relations between people. E.g. Would you like to come to my birthday party on this Sunday?,Russian-born structural linguist Roman Jakboson: six basic functions British linguis