语言学概论chapter 1 introduction.pptVIP

Outline 1.1 Definition of linguistics 1.2 Scope of linguistics 1.3 Some distinctions in linguistics 1.4 Definitions of language 1.5 Design features of language 1.6 Functions of language 1.7 Task 1.1 What is linguistics? Linguistics is the scientific study of language. Linguistics studies not any particular language, but it studies languages in general. Why is linguistics a scientific study? It is based on the systematic investigation of linguistic data, conducted with some general linguistic theories. 1.2 The scope of linguistics Phonetics (语音学) The study of sounds used in linguistic communication Phonetics vs. Phonology Phonetics studies the sounds one by one; it is general, descriptive and classificatory. It is general, because it studies all the sounds that exist in all human languages. It is descriptive because it describes how sounds are pronounced. /p/ [voiceless, bilabial, stop] /b/ [voiced, bilabial, stop] It is classificatory, because it tries to classify language sounds into different groups. Phonology studies how the sounds are combined to express meaning. (sound patterns, sound systems) Morphology (形态学) The study of the way in which the symbols are arranged and combined to form words. [The structure of words] Syntax (句法学) Syntax studies how the words are organized into sentences. [the structure of sentences] Semantics (语义学) The study of meaning Semantics vs. Pragmatics Semantics studies the meaning in isolation. Pragmatics studies the meaning in the context of language use. 1.3 Important distinctions in linguistics 1.3.1 Prescriptive vs. descriptive Descriptive---- describe / analyze the language people actually use. Prescriptive----lay down rules for “correct and standard ” behaviour in using language. Descriptive vs. Prescriptive Don’t say X. People don’t say X. 1.3.2 Synchronic vs. diachronic Synchronic study---description of a language at some point of time (modern linguistics) Diachronic study--