英语专业语言学考试.docVIP

Chapter 1 1．What is language? Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication 2. Design features of language ？ a) Arbitrariness: It refers to the fact that the forms of linguistic signs bear no natural relationship to their meaning. b) Duality: the property of having two levels of structures. Such that units of the primary level are composed of elements of the secondary level and each of the two levels has its own principles of organization c) Productivity/creativity: Language is resourceful because of its duality and recursiveness. Language has its potential to cr