The aim of this work is to give students of linguistic an overview of their prospective field of study.
A series of lectures are given along with activities to provide students with a certain amount of knowledge concerning the components that are relevant and necessary to be learned in order to master the basic concepts in linguistics.
Since the study of linguistics is a broad field, students are not expected to learn everything about linguistics while going through this course book the first time, and they should not feel linguistically sluggish if they find that there are many questions that will remain unanswered at the end of it. This is an introductory course. Learners can actually study linguistics by sifting through the various lectures and doing the activities that accompany them. Suggestions for further reading will always be listed alongside each lesson that may help them in the future, when they need more detailed information.
Table of Contents
Course objectives
Introduction to the module
1. What is Human Language?
Introduction
1. On the origins of human language
2. Language as a means of communication
3. Dictionary definitions of language
4 Linguistic definitions of language
5. The notion of double articulation
Conclusion
2. Features of Human Language
Introduction
1. Discussion of the target features
2. Why study language?
Conclusion
3. Human Language vs. Animal Communication
Introduction
1.Major distinctions between human language and animal communication
2. Some experiments on various animals
Chimpanzee experiment on language use
Dolphins: conversation or communication
Displacement in honey bee dances
Conclusion
4. Functions of Human Language
Introduction
What are language functions?
Micro functions
Physiological function
Phatic function (sociability)
Recording function
Reasoning function
Communication function
Pleasure function
Macro functions
Ideational function
Interpersonal function
Poetic function
Textual function
Conclusion
5. What is Linguistics?
Introduction
Definitions of the concept
Is linguistics a science?
Purposes of linguistics
Linguistics as a social science
Language and linguistics
Conclusion
6. Branches of Linguistics (Micro Level)
Introduction
Micro Linguistics/Theoretical Linguistics
Phonetics
Phonology
Morphology
Syntax
Semantics
Pragmatics
Conclusion
7. Branches of Linguistics (Macro Level)
Introduction
Macro-linguistics/ Applied linguistics
Conclusion
8. Traditional Language Studies
Introduction
Foundations in antiquity
The different grammars
Classical grammar
Medieval grammar
Pedagogical grammar
Comparative philology
Conclusion
9. Approaches to Modern Linguistics
Introduction
The structuralist approach
The Chomskyan approach
Cognitivism
Functionalism
Conclusion
10. Major Distinctions in Linguistics
Introduction
Conclusion
De Saussure’s Dichotomies
a Langue vs. Parole
b-Signifier( signifiant) vs. Signified (signifié)
c- Synchronic vs. Diachronic
d-Syntagmatic vs. Paradigmatic
Conclusion
Chomsky’s Domination
Introduction
The fundamentality of syntax
Chomsky’s central dichotomies
Competence vs. Performance
I-language vs. E-language
Deep structure vs. surface structure
Conclusion
11. Key to Activities
Objectives and Topics
This module provides an introduction to the fundamental concepts of linguistics, aiming to familiarize students with the nature of human language, its functions, and its scientific study. The primary research question involves exploring what defines human language and how it differs from animal communication systems while providing a clear understanding of the various branches and approaches within linguistic theory.
- The origin and definition of human language.
- Distinctions between human language and animal communication.
- Micro-level and macro-level functions of language.
- Core branches of linguistics, including phonetics, morphology, syntax, and semantics.
- Major theoretical shifts in linguistics, from structuralism to the Chomskyan approach and functionalism.
Excerpt from the book
1. On the origins of human language
Human ability to communicate through speech sets him apart from other species. Language experts, historians and scientists can only hypothesize how, where and when human language starts. It is simply known that oral language developed well before written language. However, there are many theories about how language began, and five of the oldest and most common theories are as follows:
-The bow-wow theory: Language started when our ancestors began imitating the natural sounds around them. The first speech was onomatopoeic, i.e., marked by echoic words such as meow, splash, bang, boom and cuckoo.
-The ding-dong theory: Plato and Pythagoras maintain that speech originated in response to the main qualities of objects in the environment. The earliest sounds people made were probably in harmony with the world around them.
- The la-la theory: The Danish linguist Otto Jespersen proposed that language may have evolved from sounds associated with love, play and particularly song.
- The pooh-pooh theory: It holds that speech began with interjections; spontaneous cries of pain ‘ouch’, surprise ‘oh’ and other emotions…
- The yo-he-ho theory: This theory holds that language developed from the grunts, groans and snorts evoked by heavy physical labour. Though this notion may account for some of the rhythmic aspects of language, it fails in explaining where words come from.
Summary of Chapters
1. What is Human Language?: This chapter covers theories of language origin and defines language as a unique system of communication.
2. Features of Human Language: This chapter details the thirteen features that characterize human language as outlined by Hockett.
3. Human Language vs. Animal Communication: This chapter highlights the fundamental differences between human linguistic capabilities and animal communication systems through various experiments.
4. Functions of Human Language: This chapter categorizes language use into micro and macro functions, explaining how language serves specific purposes in social interaction.
5. What is Linguistics?: This chapter defines linguistics as a scientific study of language and explores its goals and relationship with other social sciences.
6. Branches of Linguistics (Micro Level): This chapter discusses theoretical linguistics, focusing on phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.
7. Branches of Linguistics (Macro Level): This chapter provides an overview of applied linguistics and the intersection of language study with other disciplines like sociolinguistics and psycholinguistics.
8. Traditional Language Studies: This chapter reviews the history of language studies from antiquity through the Middle Ages to the development of comparative philology.
9. Approaches to Modern Linguistics: This chapter explores key theoretical movements including structuralism, the Chomskyan approach, cognitivism, and functionalism.
10. Major Distinctions in Linguistics: This chapter examines fundamental linguistic dichotomies, specifically prescriptivism vs. descriptivism, De Saussure’s work, and Chomsky’s central theories.
Keywords
Linguistics, Human Language, Communication, Structuralism, Chomskyan Theory, Phonetics, Morphology, Syntax, Semantics, Pragmatics, Competence, Performance, Langue, Parole, Language Acquisition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this course book?
The book initiates students into the significant concepts of linguistics, helping them understand the basics of language description, its origins, and its core analytical fields.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The central fields include theoretical linguistics (micro-level), applied linguistics (macro-level), the history of language studies, and major modern linguistic approaches.
What is the primary aim regarding linguistic competence?
A major goal is to help students distinguish between various linguistic levels of analysis and understand fundamental distinctions like De Saussure's and Chomsky's conceptions of language.
Which scientific methods are primarily utilized in these studies?
The book emphasizes a descriptive approach, relying on systematic observation, hypothesis formation, and the analysis of language data to understand how languages function.
What is the main subject matter of the book's chapters?
The chapters cover everything from the origins of human language and its distinction from animal communication to detailed breakdowns of phonetics, morphology, and syntax, and historical perspectives on traditional grammar.
What characterize the key terms of this study?
Keywords such as "langue" vs "parole", "competence" vs "performance", "deep structure" vs "surface structure", and the shift from prescriptive to descriptive linguistics are central to the study.
How does the book explain the difference between human and animal communication?
It identifies features like displacement, productivity, and duality of patterning that are present in human language but absent or severely limited in animal communication systems.
What is the distinction between langue and parole according to the text?
Langue is described as the abstract system of rules and conventions shared by a community, while parole refers to the actual, individual use of language in concrete speech events.
What does Chomsky's concept of 'competence' entail?
Competence represents the ideal speaker-listener's internalized knowledge of the rules of their language, enabling them to produce and understand an infinite number of sentences.
- Quote paper
- Chahrazed Hamzaoui (Author), 2019, Introducing the Scope of Linguistic Enquiry. A Student´s Overview, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/492367
