语言学Chapter1WhatisLinguistics.pptVIP

Linguistics: an Introduction to Language and Communication Lecturer: Alexander w Teaching focus: 1. design features of language ; Arbitrariness; duality; productivity; displacement; cultural transmission 2. some important distinctions in linguistics Descriptive vs. prescriptive Synchronic vs. diachronic langue parole Competence and performance Traditional grammar and modern linguistics 3. Definition Language Linguistics 1. What is Linguistics? The field of linguistics, the scientific study of human natural language, is a growing and exciting area of study, with an important impact on fields as diverse as education, anthropology, sociology, language teaching, cognitive psychology, philosophy, computer science, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence, among others. 1.1 Definition What is linguistics, then? Fundamentally, the field is concerned with the nature of language and (linguistic) communication. It is generally defined as the scientific study of language. Language means not any particular language, but language in general. Study doesn ’t mean learn but investigate or examine. Scientific refers to the way in which the language is studied. 1.2 The scope of linguistics 1. Microlinguistics Phonetics Phonology Morphology Syntax Semantics Pragmatics Phonetics语音学 Phonetics studies speech sounds, including the production of speech, that is how speech sounds are actually made, transmitted and received, the description and classification of speech sounds, words and connected speech, etc. Phonology音位学 Phonology studies the rules governing the structure, distribution, and sequencing of speech sounds and the shape of syllables. It deals with the sound system of a language by treating phoneme（音素） as the point of departure. A phoneme is the smallest linguistic unit of sound that can signal a difference in meaning. Morphology形态学 Morphology, is concerned with the properties of words and word-building rules. Morphology is concerned with the in