Chap.1Introduction选编.pptVIP

崔建斌: 现代英语语言学概论 * The “yo-he-he” theory: As primitive people worked together, they produced some rhythmic grunts which gradually developed into chants and then into Language. We do have prosodic use of rhythms in languages, but rhythmic grunts are far different from language in its present sense. The theory is again at most a speculation. Main branches of linguistics 1. What is Linguistics? * definition * important distinctions: competence vs. performance langue vs. parole prescriptive vs. descriptive synchronic vs. diachronic 2. What is Language? * definition * design features of language: productivity; arbitrariness; duality; * function of language Review. What is the origin of language? Please find some well-known theories and present them. What are language families? Please give an introduction to some major ones. Prescriptive: Traditional grammar is prescriptive in the sense that it tries to lay down a series of grammatical rules and these grammatical rules are then forced on the language users. Descriptive: Modern linguistics is descriptive, not prescriptive. It aims to describe and analyze the language people actually use. 2.1 “language” as is used Chinese is a language (language in particular) Linguistics is the systematic study of language. (language in general) Shakespeare’s language (typical style of using a particular language) C language in computer science (artificial language) the language of bees (system of communication) 2.2 Definition 2.2.1 Some definitions Sapir(1921): Language is a purely human and non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotions, and desires by means of voluntarily produced symbols. Hall(1968): Language is the institution whereby humans communicate and interact with each by m