《语言学总结》重点.doc

《语言学概论》重、难点问与答 《英语语言学概论》重、难点提示 ? 语言的性质 第二章????? 语言学 第三章????? 语音学 第四章????? 音位学 第五章????? 词法学 第六章????? 词汇学 第七章????? 句法 第八章????? 语义学 第九章????? 语言变化 第十章 语言、思维与文化 -沃夫假说；语言与思维的关系；语言与文化的关系；中西文化的异同。 第十一章 语用学 ? ? Questions Answers on Key Points of Linguistics ? 1.1. What is language? “Language is system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. It is a system, since linguistic elements are arranged systematically, rather than randomly. Arbitrary, in the sense that there is usually no intrinsic connection between a work (like “book”) and the object it refers to. This explains and is explained by the fact that different languages have different “books”: “book” in English, “livre” in French, in Japanese, in Chinese, “check” in Korean. It is symbolic, because words are associated with objects, actions, ideas etc. by nothing but convention. Namely, people use the sounds or vocal forms to symbolize what they wish to refer to. It is vocal, because sound or speech is the primary medium for all human languages, developed or “new”. Writing systems came much later than the spoken forms. The fact that small children learn and can only learn to speak (and listen) before they write (and read) also indicates that language is primarily vocal, rather than written. The term “human” in the definition is meant to specify that language is human specific. 1.2. What are design features of language? “Design features” here refer to the defining properties of human language that tell the difference between human language and any system of animal communication. They are arbitrariness, duality, productivity, displacement, cultural transmission and interchangeability 1.3. What is arbitrariness? By “arbitrariness”, we mean there is no logical connection between meanings and sounds (see I .1). A dog might be a pig if only the first person or group of persons had used it for a pig. Language is therefore largely arbitrary. But language is not absolutely seem t