Lecture 1
What is language?
Noam Chomsky 1957: “a set of sentences,each finite in length and constructed out of a line of
elements”
David Cristal 1971: “the systematic (bound by rules), conventional (bound by meaning of rules)
use of sounds, signs, or written communication and self-expression”
Language vs communication
Communication: exchanging information
Language: system of communication (not all systems of communication = language)
Design characteristics of language :
Arbitrariness: linguistic symbols are abstract; no relationship btwn form and meaning
Displacement: it allows references outside the here and now
Discreteness: its made up out of discrete units that can be combined to form larger units
Productivity: creation of an infinite num of new messages is possible by combining
linguistic elements
Cultural transmition: its not innate
What is linguistics?
Linguistics : the scientific study of the language
Linguistic theories aim to describe the nature of language
Descriptive adecuacy: what people actually say
Explanatory adecuacy which explanation fits the facts that we observe?
Prescriptive approach: it’s concerned with how a language “should be spoken”
Views one variety of language as inherently correct and tries to impose it on al speakers of
that lang
Not the approach sociolinguists take
Descriptive approach: describes, analyses, and explains how people actually speak
Knowledge of language
Competence: the unconscious knowledge of the grammatical rules of a language
Performance: the way individuals actually use the language
Sociolinguistics: subfield of linguistics that examines the relationship btwn language and
society. Attempts to make generalisations about the use of language to understand how societal
norms intertwine
How language affects language <-> language affects society
Communicative competence: relevant concept in sociolingüísticas (knowing how to use a
lang properly)
, Language and thought
- Language and thought are intimately related : Whorfian hypothesis
Linguistic determinist: language determines our ability to categorize
Linguistic relativism: language influences our ability to categorize
Whorfian hypothesis: if you de not have a word for it you cannot grasp it
Lecture 2
Language: system of arbitrary vocal/signed symbols used for human
communication
Language is also the term used to refer to many systems that differ from each other
Dialect: variety of language that is different from other varieties of language regarding
Vocabulary
Syntax
Phonology
Variety: a neutral term for ant particular kind of language or dialect which linguistics wish to
consider
Accents;
The way a speaker
So what makes it a different language and not a dialect?: pronounces things
Phonetic and/or phonological
Typological differences
aspect of a variety
Sociopolitical factors
Deciding on language status: -> mutual intelligibility -> social/ political
STANDARD VARIETY
Standard variety: accepted as the most prestigious variety of language used by those with power
and status
Standardisation: the process of codifying a variety and putting it to wide use
Standard language ideology: belief that there is one variety of language that is superior to
other.
Why examine language and dialect?
Understanding linguistic variation is important (issues of nationalism and identity)
Non linguists often have different ideas : non linguists-> dialect= low status, rural form
Isogloss:line on a map that indicated use or non use of a particular feature
Dialect boundary: border between 2 varieties of a language
Dialect continuum: range of language varieties that differ from each other but are linked by
mutual intelligibility.
Types of dialects
Regional dialect
Social dialect
What is language?
Noam Chomsky 1957: “a set of sentences,each finite in length and constructed out of a line of
elements”
David Cristal 1971: “the systematic (bound by rules), conventional (bound by meaning of rules)
use of sounds, signs, or written communication and self-expression”
Language vs communication
Communication: exchanging information
Language: system of communication (not all systems of communication = language)
Design characteristics of language :
Arbitrariness: linguistic symbols are abstract; no relationship btwn form and meaning
Displacement: it allows references outside the here and now
Discreteness: its made up out of discrete units that can be combined to form larger units
Productivity: creation of an infinite num of new messages is possible by combining
linguistic elements
Cultural transmition: its not innate
What is linguistics?
Linguistics : the scientific study of the language
Linguistic theories aim to describe the nature of language
Descriptive adecuacy: what people actually say
Explanatory adecuacy which explanation fits the facts that we observe?
Prescriptive approach: it’s concerned with how a language “should be spoken”
Views one variety of language as inherently correct and tries to impose it on al speakers of
that lang
Not the approach sociolinguists take
Descriptive approach: describes, analyses, and explains how people actually speak
Knowledge of language
Competence: the unconscious knowledge of the grammatical rules of a language
Performance: the way individuals actually use the language
Sociolinguistics: subfield of linguistics that examines the relationship btwn language and
society. Attempts to make generalisations about the use of language to understand how societal
norms intertwine
How language affects language <-> language affects society
Communicative competence: relevant concept in sociolingüísticas (knowing how to use a
lang properly)
, Language and thought
- Language and thought are intimately related : Whorfian hypothesis
Linguistic determinist: language determines our ability to categorize
Linguistic relativism: language influences our ability to categorize
Whorfian hypothesis: if you de not have a word for it you cannot grasp it
Lecture 2
Language: system of arbitrary vocal/signed symbols used for human
communication
Language is also the term used to refer to many systems that differ from each other
Dialect: variety of language that is different from other varieties of language regarding
Vocabulary
Syntax
Phonology
Variety: a neutral term for ant particular kind of language or dialect which linguistics wish to
consider
Accents;
The way a speaker
So what makes it a different language and not a dialect?: pronounces things
Phonetic and/or phonological
Typological differences
aspect of a variety
Sociopolitical factors
Deciding on language status: -> mutual intelligibility -> social/ political
STANDARD VARIETY
Standard variety: accepted as the most prestigious variety of language used by those with power
and status
Standardisation: the process of codifying a variety and putting it to wide use
Standard language ideology: belief that there is one variety of language that is superior to
other.
Why examine language and dialect?
Understanding linguistic variation is important (issues of nationalism and identity)
Non linguists often have different ideas : non linguists-> dialect= low status, rural form
Isogloss:line on a map that indicated use or non use of a particular feature
Dialect boundary: border between 2 varieties of a language
Dialect continuum: range of language varieties that differ from each other but are linked by
mutual intelligibility.
Types of dialects
Regional dialect
Social dialect
