Linguistics

LinguisticsLinguisticsLinguistics is the scientific study of language.Because of the variety of influences on language, linguistics influences and is influenced by a wide variety of disciplines.What is Language?A system of communication using sounds or symbols that enables us to express our feelings, thoughts, ideas, and experiences3The Universality of LanguageEveryone with normal capacities develops a language & follows its rules (more or less!)Language development is similar across cultures babbling at 7 months, a few meaningful words by 1st Birthday, first multiword utterances occur about age 2Language is universal across cultures there isnt a single culture without a languageLanguages are unique but the same different sounds/words/grammar, but they all have words that are nouns & verbs, all languages include a system to make things negative, ask questions, and refer to past & present

4What is Language?We can create unique sentences because the structure of language isHierarchicalBecause it consists of a series of components that can be combined to form larger unitsGoverned by rulesAllow us to know the appropriate ways to organize statementsGrammar a set of rules for the production and use of language units5GrammarDescriptive rules rules that show typical use of a languageExample: To boldly go where no one has gone before.Prescriptive rules rules that suggest how a language should be usedExample: To go boldly where no one has gone before.PsycholinguisticsThe psychological study of languageGoals:Competence (Comprehension) how do we understand?Performance (Speech production) how do we produce language?Acquisition how do we learn language?7

From Akmajian and Demers (2010) based on Chomsky (1972)

From Akmajian and Demers (2010) based on Chomsky (1972)From Akmajian and Demers (2010) based on Chomsky (1972)

Pranks for Science!McGurk Effect (McGurk & McDonald, 1976)Speech perception is based on both visual and auditory information.When visual and auditory information do not match, phonemes may be perceived incorrectly.Example: Simultaneous visual presentation of the syllable /ba/ and auditory presentation of the syllable /ga/ will result in a perception of the syllable /da/11Pranks for Science!Garden-path sentencesThe secretary applauded for his efforts was soon promoted.Fat people eat accumulates.The horse raced past the barn fell.Pranks for Science!Garden-path sentencesBecause he ran the second mile went quickly.First interpretationSomething wrongReinterpretationAMBIGUITIES IN NEWSPAPER HEADLINES(from The Telegraph Herald, Dubuque, Iowa, Nov 13, 1990)

NEW ENVIRONMENTAL CHIEF SETTLES IN WELL(THE DAILY INDEPENDENT, ASHLAND, KENTUCKY)NEW ENVIRONMENTAL CHIEF SETTLES IN WELL(THE DAILY INDEPENDENT, ASHLAND, KENTUCKY)LEXICAL AMBIGUITYIS WELL A NOUN OR AN ADVERB?14POLICE NAB STUDENTS WITH PAIR OF PLIERS(JOURNAL AND COURIER, LAFAYETTE, INDIANA)POLICE NAB STUDENTS WITH PAIR OF PLIERS(JOURNAL AND COURIER, LAFAYETTE, INDIANA)SURFACE AMBIGUITYDID THE POLICE OR THE STUDENTS HAVE THE PLIERS?15RALPH STEINER DEAD; A STILL PHOTOGRAPHER(THE NEW YORK TIMES) RALPH STEINER DEAD; A STILL PHOTOGRAPHER(THE NEW YORK TIMES) LEXICAL AMBIGUITYSTILL MAY REFER TO PHOTOGRAPHY OR DEATH16A few more examples...EYE DROPS OFF SHELFKIDS MAKE NUTRITIOUS SNACKSSTOLEN PAINTING FOUND BY TREEDEALERS WILL HEAR CAR TALK AT NOONMINERS REFUSE TO WORK AFTER DEATHMILK DRINKERS ARE TURNING TO POWDERCOMPLAINTS ABOUT NBA REFEREES GROWING UGLYPOLICE BEGIN CAMPAIGN TO RUN DOWN JAYWALKERSGRANDMOTHER OF EIGHT MAKES HOLE IN ONEHOSPITALS ARE SUED BY 7 FOOT DOCTORSENRAGED COW INJURES FARMER WITH AXSQUAD HELPS DOG BITE VICTIMHERSHEY BARS PROTEST

SemioticsSemiotics for SaussureSemiotics study of signs

Signs made up of signifier and signifiedSignifier sound-image (its the impression a person gets from an object in our language system a person knows how it sounds)Signified the concept that comes to mind

Signs are arbitraryAdapting SaussureHis theories have been adapted more generally as the relationship between material objects and meaning not so linguistic or focused on words and mental impressions.

SignSignifier the material part (form of expression)Signified the concept or meaning (form of content)

M - mmmmmm

Moose -

Interpreting Signs Denotation & ConnotationDenotation - literal and detailed description of a meaning of a word or object.

Connotation - cultural meanings and myths connected to words and things.Interpreting Signs Denotation & Connotation

More Denotation and Connotation

Three big terms: Metaphor, Metonymy, & SynecdocheSynecdoche when a part represents a whole or a whole represents a part.McDaniel won the football game.The police thought tasing a five year old was a good idea.Women are smarter than men.Synecdoche is visual and pranky

MetonymyMetonymy communicates through association. Substitutes or allows one thing to stand for another.He got a pink slip and was really depressed.The material girl is going to release another album.You just cant fight city hall.

Metonymy is visualMetonymy communicates through association. Substitutes or allows one thing to stand for another.

MetaphorMetaphor - helps us understand what something is by comparing it to something else. It is a way of conceiving of one thing in terms of another for understanding.The internet is a web.Love is a game.School is jail.

Semiotic Perspective of Language and Speech and DisciplinesLanguage a social institution that expresses ideas by using signs, whose meanings are based on convention (Berger 21)Speech the ways that individuals use a language (Berger 20)

Language and Speech in FootballLanguageSpeechSocial institutionPersonal choicesAll teams availableWho a person cheers forDialectsDefense/Offense/Special Teams and all the plays they may haveSentenceThe choice of a play (Hail Mary or Cover 2)GrammarWhat combinations you can put together on the field, rulebook, rules for combining players.DictionariesPlaybooksLanguage and Speech in RhetoricLanguageSpeechSocial institutionPersonal choicesAll theories available in rhetoricWhat theories a person selects to useDialectsAristotilean, Platonic, Burkean, Weaverian SentenceAn article/essay on rhetoricGrammarRules for combining dialects. Rules for citation. Rules for tone and formality.DictionariesMLA handbook, Rhetoric for Dummies, Wikipedia