Language and cognitive science培训讲义.pptVIP

Language and cognitive science Linguistics lecture #1 October 26, 2006 Overview Linguistics and cognitive science Linguistic cognition The cognition of linguists Linguisticsand cognitive science Linguistics is the scientific study of language, not of the mind in general Why is linguistics importantto cognitive science? Language is cool Language is easy to study Language is cool Almost all humans have language (Not little babies, not some brain-damaged people) - Every culture on earth, even isolated islands - Geniuses, stupid people - Hearing people, deaf people - People can’t stop talking, can’t stop understanding Language is cool Language lets you read other people’s minds - Thought can be translated into physical form - Physical forms can be translated into thought Language is cool Language gives you power - You can boss people around - You can tell somebody how to make something - You can talk to yourself and write things down when you’re trying to figure out something - Having a natural language helps you invent artificial language tools (logic, math, computer programs, etc) Language is cool Babies are smarter than adults and computers - Babies begin to master language long before going to school - Adults suffer a lot learning a new language - Computers are still very stupid at using language, and even stupider at learning it Language is cool Language makes us special - Other animals are probably conscious - Other animals have vision - Other animals walk on two legs, make tools, etc - No other animal has human-style language: words + rules Language is easy to study Language is “out there” in the world - Other aspects of the mind seem “hidden” (memories, consciousness) - Language can be heard and seen - Observable language patterns seem to correspond with actual mental patterns Language is easy to study Linguistics fits well with philosophical functionalism - Key metaphor: The brain is a computer, the mind is a program (or syst