Linguistics Lesson 04: What Is Language? PDF

Linguistics Lesson 04: What Is Language? Presented by Haroune Rachid  01 The Word’s Etymology The English word Language derives from the Latin term Lingua which means Tongue. This metaphoric relation between language and the tongue exists in many languages (e.g: Arabic- ‫)اللسان‬ and te...

Linguistics Lesson 04: What Is Language? Presented by Haroune Rachid  01 The Word’s Etymology The English word Language derives from the Latin term Lingua which means Tongue. This metaphoric relation between language and the tongue exists in many languages (e.g: Arabic- ‫)اللسان‬ and testifies to the historical prominence of spoken languages.  02 Definitions of Language « Language is a purely human and non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotions and desires by means of voluntary produced symbols ».Edward Sapir  « A language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols by means of which a social group co-operates ».Bloch and Trager 1942  « Language is the institution whereby humans communicate and interact with each other, by means of habitually used-oral-auditory or arbitrary symbols » C.Hall 1968  «From now on , I’ll consider language to be a set of sentences each finite in length and constructed out of the finite set of elements» Noam Chomsky 1957  03 Drawing from the definitions Language is Human-Specific: Different from the systems that the other forms of life possess. Language is a System: meaning the elements are rule- governed and cannot be combined at will. Language is Primarily Vocal: the primary medium for all languages is sound, writing systems came much later.  Language is Symbolic: words are associated with objects, actions and ideas by convention. “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” W.Shakespeare  04 Defining features of Language Arbitrariness: The relationship between the sounds (or signs) of a language and their meanings is arbitrary. There's often no inherent connection between the form of a word and the concept it represents. For example, the word "dog" does not inherently resemble the animal it signifies. Pictograph and Onomatopoeia are a rarity in language. Discreteness: Language is composed of discrete units, such as phonemes, morphemes, and words, which can be combined in various ways to create meaning. This property allows for the infinite generative capacity of human language.  Productivity (Generativity): Humans can generate and understand an infinite number of novel utterances. This creativity is essential for expressing new ideas and adapting to changing circumstances.  Cultural Transmission: Language is learned and transmitted through social and cultural interactions. Children acquire language by exposure to the linguistic environment around them, and languages can change over time through cultural transmission.  Duality of Patterning: Language has a hierarchical structure where smaller, meaningless elements (such as sounds or letters) combine to form larger, meaningful units (such as words or sentences). This duality of patterning allows for the creation of complex messages.  Displacement: Language allows individuals to talk about things that are not present in the immediate context, including the past, future, or hypothetical situations. This ability to discuss abstract concepts is known as displacement.  Cognitive Processing: Language involves complex cognitive processes, including memory, attention, and problem-solving. The brain's linguistic capacities are interconnected with other cognitive functions.  Openness: Languages are dynamic and constantly evolving. New words are coined, and the meanings of existing words can change over time. This openness allows languages to adapt to new concepts and technologies.  Reflexivity (Metalinguistic Awareness): Language allows speakers to reflect on language itself, discussing and manipulating linguistic structures. This metalinguistic awareness is fundamental for learning and teaching language.  Reflexivity (Metalinguistic Awareness): Language allows speakers to reflect on language itself, discussing and manipulating linguistic structures. This metalinguistic awareness is fundamental for learning and teaching language.  05 Language Functions  language serves a variety of functions that facilitate communication and enable individuals to express their thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The functions of language are often categorized into several broad categories.  Expressive Function: Language allows individuals to express their emotions, feelings, and attitudes. Through words, intonation, and other linguistic features, people can convey joy, sadness, excitement, anger, and more.  Referential Function: This function is about conveying information and referring to the world. Language is a tool for describing objects, events, concepts, and relationships. It is a means of representing and sharing knowledge about the external world. Conative Function: The focus of this function is on influencing or directing the behavior of the listener or reader. Commands, requests, suggestions, and other forms of language are used to elicit a specific response or action. Phatic Function: This function is concerned with social interaction and maintaining communication for its own sake. Phatic expressions are often used to establish or maintain social relationships rather than to convey specific information. Greetings, small talk, and expressions of politeness are examples.  Metalinguistic Function: Language has the ability to talk about language itself. This function is essential for clarifying meanings, discussing language rules, and explaining linguistic concepts.  Poetic Function: This function focuses on the aesthetic and creative aspects of language. It includes the use of language for artistic expression, literary purposes, and the creation of imaginative and evocative effects.  Cognitive Function: Language is a tool for organizing and structuring thought. It enables individuals to categorize, analyze, and reason about the world, contributing to cognitive development.  Interrogative function: This function enables individuals to seek information, clarification, or confirmation from others.  performative function: as introduced by linguistic philosopher J.L. Austin and later developed by J.R. Searle, is related to the idea that language can not only describe actions but can also perform actions. In other words, certain utterances are not just about conveying information but actually bring about a change in the external world. Performative utterances are often associated with speech acts, where speaking itself is an action. Task: Search for Michael Halliday’s functions of Language.  05 The Origin of Language  The origin of language is a complex and debated topic among scholars, and there isn't a universally accepted theory. Several theories attempt to explain how and why human language emerged.  The divine source: The theory posits that language was a divine or supernatural gift to humans, bestowed upon them by a higher power. According to this theory, the origins of language are not a product of natural evolution or cultural development but rather a divine intervention.  The Bow-Wow Theory: It suggests that human language originated from imitations of natural sounds in the environment. According to this theory, early humans may have imitated the sounds of animals, birds, and natural elements, eventually associating these imitations with specific meanings. The name "bow-wow" reflects the idea that early language might have emerged from attempts to mimic the sounds of dogs, birds, or other environmental noises.  While this theory captures the basic concept of onomatopoeia (words imitating sounds), it is considered overly simplistic and is not widely accepted among modern linguists. The evolutionary theory: it suggests that our ability to speak developed gradually over time as our early ancestors faced the challenges of living together  It is thought that genetic changes in the brain, especially in areas related to language, played a significant role. Language likely emerged as a tool for better communication, helping with activities like hunting, childcare, and protection. As our cognitive abilities, like memory and attention, evolved, so did our capacity for language. Overall, the theory proposes that language developed slowly as an adaptive advantage, enhancing our ability to work together and survive. End of lesson.