Introduction to Language and Communication

Introduction to Language

• Language is a system of symbols (spoken, written, or signed) used for human communication.
• It uniquely enables cultural transmission, complex thought, and social bonding.

Design Features of Language

• Arbitrariness: No inherent link between words and their meanings.
• Displacement: Ability to communicate about things not present in space or time.
• Productivity: Infinite combinations of words and ideas.
• Duality of Patterning: Meaningless sounds combine to form meaningful units (words).

Communication

• Human communication is symbolic and structured, unlike animal systems which are often limited to immediate contexts.

Animal Call Systems

• Animal communication systems typically have a limited set of calls tied to specific contexts (e.g., warning, mating).
• Vervet monkey alarm calls for different predators demonstrate this limited system compared to human language.

Phonology

• The study of sound systems in languages and how sounds are organized.
• English distinguishes between /p/ and /b/, while other languages might not.

Phonetics

• The physical study of speech sounds, including how they are produced, transmitted, and perceived.
• Describing how tongue and lips form the sound /s/ is an example.

Phonemes

• The smallest distinctive sound units in a language.
• The /k/ sound in "cat" and "kit" are different phonemes.

Morphology

• The study of word structure and formation.
• Adding "-ed" to a verb in English creates the past tense.

Morphemes

• The smallest units of meaning in a language.
• "Unhappiness" has three morphemes: "un-" (not), "happy" (state), "-ness" (quality).

Syntax

• The set of rules for combining words into sentences.
• English typically follows a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order: "She eats apples."

Jakobson’s Communication Model

• Describes six components of communication: Sender, Receiver, Message, Context, Code, and Contact (channel).
• Example: A teacher explaining something to students.

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

• This hypothesis suggests language shapes thought and perception.
• The strong version states language determines thought; the weak version suggests it influences thought.
• Inuit languages have multiple words for snow, potentially influencing speakers' perception of snow.

Labov

• Sociolinguist William Labov studied language variation and social factors impacting speech.
• His work on the pronunciation of "r" in New York City stores highlighted class-based language differences.

Endangered Languages

• Languages at risk of extinction due to globalization, assimilation, or loss of speakers.
• Tahltan, an Indigenous Canadian language, faces this risk.

Language Change

• Languages evolve over time.
• Pidgin languages are simplified languages formed for communication between groups (e.g., Hawaiian Pidgin).
• Creole languages are fully developed languages arising from pidgins (e.g., Haitian Creole).

Language Maintenance

• Efforts to preserve endangered languages reflect the importance for cultural identity and diversity.

Language Families

• Groups of related languages descended from a common ancestor.
• Indo-European languages (English, Spanish, Hindi) are an example.

Synchronic Study of Change

• Examining cultural or linguistic phenomena at a specific point in time.
• Analyzing current teenage slang is an example.

Diachronic Study of Change

• Studying changes over time.
• Tracing evolution of English from Old to Modern English is an example.

Diffusion

• The spread of cultural traits between societies.
• Global adoption of pizza is an example.

Invention

• Creation of new cultural practices or technologies.
• Development of the printing press is an example.

Genocide

• Deliberate destruction of a cultural or ethnic group.
• The Holocaust during World War II is an example.

Assimilation

• Individuals or groups adopt another culture, often losing their original identity.
• Native American children in residential schools were pushed to adopt Western customs.

Acculturation

• Cultural exchange resulting from continuous contact between groups—often involving mutual adaptation.
• Blending of African, Indigenous, and European traditions in the Americas is an example.

Ralph Linton

• Anthropologist Ralph Linton distinguished cultural diffusion, invention, and other mechanisms of cultural change.
• Most cultural traits are borrowed rather than invented.

This quiz covers the fundamental aspects of language, including its unique design features and how it facilitates human communication. You'll explore the differences between human language systems and animal call systems, as well as delve into phonological concepts. Test your knowledge on the pivotal role language plays in culture and social interaction.