TheDesignFeaturesofLanguage.pptVIP

The Design Features of Language On Modern Linguistics The Design Features American linguist Charles Hockett isolated 13 features that characterize human language and which distinguish it from other communication systems. 1) Duality 2) Arbitrariness 3) Productivity 4) Displacement 5) Cultural transmission 1) Duality Duality means that the discrete/separated parts of a language can be recombined in a systematic way to create new forms. Duality of patterning refers to the ability to recombine small units in different orders. Language is a system with two sets of structures, one of sounds and the other of meaning. At the lower or the basic level, there is a structure of sounds, which are meaningless by themselves. For example, /k/, /a:/, /p/ /ka:p/ ---- carp /pa:k/ ---- park At the higher level of the system, the small number of speech sounds of a language is grouped and regrouped into a large number of units of meaning. This duality of structure or double articulation of language enables its users to talk about anything within their knowledge. 2) Arbitrariness There is no logical connection between meanings and sounds. (1)The forms of linguistic signs bear no natural relationship to their meaning. (2) In different languages, different sounds are used to refer to the same object. Language is not entirely arbitrary; some words are motivated, i.e., there seems to be some logical association between sounds and meaning. (1) onomatopoeic motivation (2) morphological motivation (3) semantic motivation (4) etymological motivation (1) onomatopoeic motivation Some words were created by imitating the natural sounds or noises, so these words whose sounds can suggest their meanings. For example, Miaow by cats; Crow by cocks; Quack by frogs; Squeak by mice; Neigh by horses; Bleat by goats; Hiss by snakes; Roar by lions; Ping-pong; cuckoo; tick-tuck, ha ha … (2) morphological motivation The meanings of many compounds and