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WELCOME TO
M Phil Linguistics new module
INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL LINGUISTICS
Mr. Iqbal Ranjha
Difference between L1 & L2:
L1Initial linguistic experience, L2 later on L1 in Home environment (activities) , L2 is
seldom context based Adaptability and malleability L1 lacks meta-language (language or set of
symbols), L2 speaker posses vocabulary for referring
When:
L2 is foreign language? Foreign language becomes L1? Pidgin becomes Creole? Creole becomes L1?
Is L2 acquired or learnt?
Learning Artificial Technical Priority on written
language Theory (language
analysis) Deductive teaching (rule
driven, top-down)
Acquisition Natural Personal Priority on spoken
language Practice (language in
use) Inductive coaching (rule
discovery, bottom-up)
Is L2 acquired or learnt? (Continue)
Preset syllable Activities ABOUT
language Focus on form
Produces knowledge
Improvised activities Activities IN language
Focus on communication
Produces an ability
Do animals have language? Parrots speak Ants as social insects Honey bees convey message Study of Struchsaker (1967) about monkeys:
chutter: cobra or poisonous snake, rraup: eagle, chirp: lion or leopard, uh!: hyena
Animals are alike around the globe
Do animals have language? Human languages differ even at a small
distance
If animals have language then where lies the difference lies?
But what language is????
What is LANGUAGE?
Language?
A language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols by means of which a social group cooperates (Bloch and Trager 1942, p. 5 )
Ferdinand de Saussure-Bio
Born 26 November 1857 – (French origin, moved to Geneva)
From a family of many scholarsStudied Latin, Greek, chemistry, theology and
law at University of Geneva (1875-76)At age 21, wrote Mémoire sur le système primitif
des voyelle dans les langues indo-européennes in which he proved scholars wrong.
Ferdinand de Saussure-Bio
1880 awarded doctorate at University Leipzig (Germany).
Taught at Paris.1891 returned to Geneva to teach there.Taught ancient Sanskrit for 21 (!) years!Was asked to teach a course in General
Linguistics (taught it three times 1907 - 11)
Ferdinand de Saussure-Bio
Influenced many different linguists, but also other disciplines:
AnthropologyPsychiatryLiterary criticism
Ferdinand de Saussure-Linguistics / Key Terms
What is language: Knowledge
Collective knowledge vs individual use
Distinction between LANGUE vs PAROLE
Ferdinand de Saussure-Linguistics / Key Terms
Language is a system not structure
SYSTEM VS STRUCTURE
Ferdinand de Saussure-Linguistics / Key Terms
What does this system consist of?
Signs
So language is a system of signs
Ferdinand de Saussure-Linguistics / Key Terms
Sign:– combination of a concept and a sound-image
Signifier:– the sound-image
Signified:– concept
What does all this mess mean? An Example of Saussure’s words
Signifier I Signified I
(Image) (Concept)
(Roses) (Passion)
Sign I(passionified roses)
What does all this mess mean? An Example of Saussure’s words
Signifier II Signified II
(Image) (Concept)(Passionified Roses) (Valentine’s Day)
(i.e. Sign becomesnew Signifier)
Sign II(Product consumption, expenditure of money as romantic obligation) ...
Ferdinand de Saussure-Linguistics
Arbitrary Nature of the Sign– We have inherited language from our ancestors.
What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.
(Shakespeare)– Language is connecting sound-images
Ferdinand de Saussure-Linguistics
Arbitrary Nature of the Sign (2)– Boundaries become blurred when we look
at different types of “language” (e.g. body
language, pantomime, spoken language,
written language, deaf-mute language, sign
language etc.)
Ferdinand de Saussure-Linguistics
Immutability of the Sign– The signifier (sound-image) “is fixed, not
free”– “community itself cannot control so much as
a single word; it is bound to the existing language.”
– Problem: modern language has added many different words (e.g. computers, “teen” language)
Ferdinand de Saussure-Linguistics
Immutability of the Sign (2)– Language is a law, not a rule which we can opt
to follow.– We inherit these laws from our ancestors. – Language is a social “institution” and must be
seen in the setting.– “Speakers are largely unconscious of the laws
of language.”
Ferdinand de Saussure-Linguistics
Immutability of the Sign (3)(1) Arbitrary Nature of the Sign
(2) Multiplicity of Signs Needed for Language
(3) System is “overly complex”
(4) Community does not care to change things.
Ferdinand de Saussure-Linguistics
Mutability– Time changes the relationship between signi-fier
(sound-image), signified (concept) and therefore the sign.
– E.g. “mouse” =
= = “mouse”
Ferdinand de Saussure-Linguistics
Mutability (2)– Language = product of both social force
and time. – It holds true even for artificial languages,
such as Esperanto.
Ferdinand de Saussure
Language is a social construct which re-quires a community of speakers.
Linguistic sign is arbitrary and cannot be taken out of social or temporal context. This is exactly, where signifier and signified are able to shift their relationships (compare “mouse” and “mouse”).
Language:
Is a relation between expression and meaning
Context is the most important Is there any salt on the table? Have you left the door open?
Three face of language
meaning – expression - contex
Difference between human
and animal language Use of vocal auditory channel Arbitrariness Semanticity Cultural transmission Spontaneous usage
Difference between human
and animal language Displacement Turn taking Duality Structure dependence creativity
QUESTIONS
?