2商务英语design features of language商务英语.pdf

Design Features of Language Design Features of Language  Arbitrariness  Arbitrariness  Duality  Duality  Productivity (Creativity)  Productivity (Creativity)  Displacement  Displacement  Cultural transmission  Cultural transmission 1 1 Arbitrariness Arbitrariness  Saussure: the forms of linguistic signs bear no natural  Saussure: the forms of linguistic signs bear no natural relationship to their meaning. We cannot explain why a relationship to their meaning. We cannot explain why a book is called a /buk/ in English and /şu/ （书）in Chinese book is called a /buk/ in English and /şu/ （书）in Chinese  Arbitrary relationship exists between the sound of a  Arbitrary relationship exists between the sound of a morpheme and its meaning, even with onomatopoeic words: morpheme and its meaning, even with onomatopoeic words:  The dog barks wow wow in English but “汪汪”in Chinese.  The dog barks wow wow in English but “汪汪”in Chinese. 2 2 Arbitrariness and Convention Arbitrariness and Convention  What is the link between a linguistic sign and its  What is the link between a linguistic sign and its meaning? meaning?  The link between a linguistic sign and its meaning is a  The link between a linguistic sign and its meaning is a matter of convention. Idiomatic expressions are matter of convention. Idiomatic expressions are conventional conventional  Arbitrariness of language makes it potentially creative  Arbitrariness of language makes it potentially creativ