Language and Linguistics Fundamentals

Study Notes

Definition and Characteristics

Language is a system of communication using words, symbols, and/or signs.
It is a fundamental aspect of human society, enabling individuals to express thoughts, feelings, and ideas.
Key characteristics:
- Arbitrariness: words and symbols are arbitrarily assigned to meanings.
- Creativity: language allows for the creation of new words, expressions, and meanings.
- Displacement: language can be used to communicate about past, present, and future events.
- Productivity: language enables users to generate an infinite number of sentences and expressions.

Types of Language

Natural Language: spoken and written languages developed naturally, such as English, Spanish, or Chinese.
Sign Language: visual language using hand signs, facial expressions, and body language, used by Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities.
Artificial Language: constructed languages, such as Esperanto, created for specific purposes or communities.
Programming Language: languages used to write software, apps, and websites, such as Java, Python, or HTML.

Language Components

Phonology: the study of sounds and sound patterns in language.
Morphology: the study of words and their internal structure.
Syntax: the study of sentence structure and organization.
Semantics: the study of meaning in language.
Pragmatics: the study of language in context, including speaker intention and audience interpretation.

Language Acquisition and Development

Language Acquisition Device (LAD): a hypothetical module in the brain that enables children to acquire language quickly and effortlessly.
Language Development: the process of learning language, including stages such as babbling, one-word stage, and sentence formation.
Language Contact: the study of language interaction and change resulting from contact between different languages or dialects.

Language and Culture

Linguistic Relativity: the idea that language influences thought and perception.
Language and Identity: language as a key aspect of cultural identity and social belonging.
Language and Power: language as a tool for social control, dominance, and resistance.

Description

Test your understanding of language as a system of communication, including its characteristics, types, components, acquisition, and relationship with culture. Explore key concepts in linguistics and language development.