《现代语言学》第一章绪论.doc

第一章 绪论 一、知识体系 二、本章重点 1. Linguistics is defined as the scientific study of language. 2. Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. 3. The duality nature of language means that language is a system, which consists of two sets of structure, or two levels, one sounds and the other of meanings. 4.Displacement means that language can be used to refer to things which are present or not present, real or imagined matters in the past, present, or future, or in for away places. 5. while human capacity for language has a genetic basis , but instead have to be taught and learned anew. 三、重点理论 The distinction between competence and performance was proposed by the famous American linguist Noam Chomsky in the late 1950’s. 四、难点透析 1. Modern linguistics differs from traditional grammar. What are they differences? Traditional grammar is prescriptive(规定性的),it is based on “high” written language. It sets models for language users to follow. Modern linguistics is descriptive(描述性的)，its investigations are based on authentic, and mainly spoken language data. 解说：早期的语法主要依赖的是“高级”的书面语言，它们规定了很多模式让语言使用者们模仿。而现代语言学则基本上都是描述性的。如实地描述人们现实中所实际使用的语言。 2. Modern linguistics give priority to the spoken form of language. Why? First, in any human society we know of, speech precedes writing. The writing system of any language is always a later invention, used to record the speech. And then in terms of function, the spoken form of language is used for a wider range of purposes, than the written form, and carries a larger load of communication than the written. 解说:首先，在我们所了解的所有人类社会中，口头语言总是先于书面语言。任何一种语言的书写体系总是人们后来为了记录口头语言面发明的。最后从功能的角度来看，口头语言不但可以比书面语言用于更广泛的目的，而且可以比书面语言承载更多的交际信息。 3. How is Saussure’s distinction between langue and parole similar to Chomsky’s distinction between competence and performance? Language refers to the abstract linguistic system shored by all the members of a speech community, and parole refers to the realization of langue in actual use. Langue is