Questions and Answers
What is Descriptive Linguistics?
What is Historical Linguistics?
How language evolves and where they came from
What is Socio-Linguistics?
Study of how humans use language
What are Linguistic Signs?
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Open Communication means that language is fixed and cannot change.
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Closed Communication involves 'playing' with forms of communication.
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Who is Charles Hockett?
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Displacement is the ability to talk about something that is not actually _____.
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Define Productivity in the context of language.
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What does Prevarication refer to?
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What is Meta-Language?
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What is Broca's area responsible for?
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What is Wernicke's area responsible for?
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What does Grammar: Mental refer to?
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Define Grammar: Descriptive.
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Define Grammar: Prescriptive.
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What is a Phoneme?
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What is a Morpheme?
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What does Semantics study?
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Define Syntax.
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What is Pragmatics?
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What is the communication system of Vervet Monkeys?
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What were Koko's abilities in language?
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What did Kanzi, the Bonobo, use for communication?
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Identify one early evidence for language evolution.
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What is one piece of evidence for late language evolution?
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Study Notes
Descriptive Linguistics
- Descriptive linguistics focuses on how language is actually used in everyday communication.
Historical Linguistics
- Examines the evolution of languages and their origins over time.
Socio-Linguistics
- Studies human language usage and how miscommunication can occur in social contexts.
Linguistic Signs
- Consist of a form (signifier) and meaning (signified).
- Example: The word "CAT" combines the phonemes C, A, and T to convey meaning.
Open Communication
- Allows for the creation of new words and grammatical rules, demonstrating that language is fluid.
Closed Communication
- Characterized by fixed communication forms with limited flexibility in expression.
Charles Hockett
- Noted linguist who developed a list of design features of human language.
Design Features of Human Language
- Includes key concepts: Displacement, Productivity, Prevarication, and Meta-Language.
Displacement
- Refers to the capability to discuss concepts or entities that are not present.
Productivity
- Human language is dynamic, involving constant creation and alteration of language systems.
Prevarication
- The ability to communicate false information or lies.
Meta-Language
- The use of language to discuss and describe language itself.
Broca's Area
- Brain region associated with speech production.
Wernicke's Area
- Brain region linked to speech comprehension.
Grammar: Mental
- Refers to the cognitive organization of thoughts.
Grammar: Descriptive
- System of rules derived from real speech usage analyzed by linguists.
Grammar: Prescriptive
- Socially acceptable grammar rules developed by cultural norms.
Phoneme
- The smallest unit of speech sound, acting as a mental sound template.
Morpheme
- Ahows how phonemes combine to create meaningful units in language.
Semantics
- The branch of linguistics that studies the meanings of words within a language.
Syntax
- Involves the arrangement and order of words and phrases to create sentences.
Pragmatics
- Explores how context influences the correct use of language in communication.
Non-Human Primate Research: Vervet Monkeys
- Employ a system of alarm calls to indicate danger, demonstrating basic communication.
- Exhibit prevarication by misleading through alarm calls to benefit from food access.
- Show productivity with new alarm calls but lack displacement.
Non-Human Primate Research: Koko
- A gorilla trained in American Sign Language who could generate new signs and discuss absent objects.
- Lacked evidence of meta-language abilities and could only communicate with humans.
Non-Human Primate Research: Kanzi
- A bonobo using lexigrams, showing some understanding of syntax through commands but primarily imitating.
How Language Evolved: Symbols
- Language symbols have their roots in nature and represent concepts.
How Language Evolved: Syntax
- Emergence of syntax through the categorization of symbols fosters coherent communication.
How Language Evolved: Brains/Anatomy
- Specific anatomical structures in the brain and throat are essential for language development.
Evidence for Early Language Evolution
- Ralp Halloway and Dean Falk propose early language use occurring 2-1.5 million years ago with species like A. africanus and H. habilis, inferred from brain endocasts and tool usage.
Evidence for Late Language Evolution
- Research by Matt Cartmill and Baruch Arensburg suggests that Neanderthals demonstrated language capacities post-300,000 years ago, supported by modern anatomical structures.
- Philip Lieberman indicates that modern Homo sapiens, around 100,000 years ago, had vocal tracts suitable for speech that Neanderthals lacked.
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Description
Explore key concepts in descriptive linguistics with these flashcards. Each card presents important terms and their definitions, from how language is used to its historical evolution and social implications. Enhance your understanding of the foundations of language.
