INTRODUCTION OF LINGUISTICS

CONTENTS

1- WHAT IS LANGUAGE AND WHAT IS LINGUISTIC

2- DIFFRENCES BETWEEN THE HUMAN LANGUAGE AND ANIMAL COMMUNICATION
SYSTEM
3- THE CONNECTION BETWEEN LANGUAGE AND THOUGHT (THINKING SYSTEM)
4- LANGUAGE ACQUSITION PROCESS OF CHILDREN
5- THREE WAYS OF LINGUISTIC COMMUNICATION

1- WHAT IS LANGUAGE AND WHAT IS LINGUISTIC

Linguistics is a study of language. So it deals with language from all aspects. We can say that is
it is the basement of a language.

Nature of language found by Plato, Aristotle, and the other Greek philosophers (Greeks found: nouns-
verbs-gender system-tenses) in the fourth and third centruies B.C. and it is been area of study
for two thousand years.

NOTE: One of the finest grammar books ever produced , written for the Sanskrit language of
India by Panini.

What it’s aim?

Definition of language and exploring its developing throughout the years.

Study of language types:

1- Language structure (grammatical competence)

2- Language use. (communicative competence

Language ocur by first linking the voice to meaning then make words for expression.
So, language = content (what we say) + expression(how we say)

Language Definitions:
 System of arbitrary vocals that helps people communicate.
 Arbitrary and changeable set of vocal symbols used in human communication.

Basic Features of human language:

 Arbitrary (no connection between form and meaning)

 Vocal (voice and speech organs used)
 Use of symbols(arbitrary indicators which are changeable such as traffic lights, ring,
flag…)
 Human (sophisticated use of human language is uniqe to human beings)
 Communicative (main function and reason)
 Natural (not artficial such as us)
 Changeable
 Rule-governed (grammatical rules are needed)
 Creative (=open-endness=prodcutivity)
Linguistics 5 main branches:
Phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics.

Linguists,now, are engaged in mainly 3 study fields:

Grammar, language variation, real world problems.

Grammar includes all the main branches of linguistics

Variation has 4 types: Variation,
across diffrent speech communities, across the time, within
a single community, at one time and in a single community.

Real world problems’ focuse is on especially educational area and searching if there is a
problem of teaching and with skills(reading, writing, speaking) at first and second language.

NOTE: Linguistics in this group work as a language planners. They standartize the language
used by the society in any country (publication of grammar boks and dictionaries, spelling
forms, which type of language can use in which situation or place; country’s formal language
selection).

2- DIFFRENCES BETWEEN THE HUMAN LANGUAGE AND ANIMAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

ANIMALS:

Actually, animals such as dolphins, chimpanzees, bees etc. are more capable in terms of
communication compared to other animals.

They use language when they feek fear , danger, hunger, sexual needs etc which are their basic
needs.

HUMAN’S LANGUAGE DIFFRENCES FROM ANIMALS:

Animals’ most developed version is sign but humans’ are arbitrary vocal symbols. So that
animals use ore gestures than humans.

Animals have not got logical sequence as humans have but they have emotinal states such as
fear etc.

Human beings have inborn tendency to speak and acquire the language spontaneously from the
environment.(exposure is essential for humans acqusitions of language)

The numaber of animal can make signs limited but humans are opposite.

TRhe most clever animals maximum talk like 3 year old baby.

3-THE CONNECTION BETWEEN LANGUAGE AND THOUGHT (THINKING SYSTEM)

At early ages childeren talk themselves outloud. This verbal activity called egocentric speech
(self-directed speech).

This speech resembles in parents mind in two ways: Existence of listener not needed and what
if it will cause problem or be more dense while in problem solving activities.
The fat that, this speech becaome internalized around the age of primary school.

Note: The main questions handled recent year is ‘’Do we talk with thinking or think by talking?’’ .
(related with Sapir-Whorf hypothesis)

Note: Lnaguage is so connected with it’s culture because each language has diffrences occure
from cultural diffrences.(related with Sapir-Whorf hypothesis)

SAPIR – WHORF HYPOTHESIS (LINGUISTIC DETERMINISM)

Basement is the way people talk determined from the structure their native kanguage has. So
we are mental prisoners of our own language.

But then it rejected because of three reasons:

If it is true how people from the diffrent cultural background done communication from then?

If you are bilingual or multulingual from the earlier age so do you have thought compartments
in your mind?

If this is true the learners of this language as a second language can not understand the
structures their language have not such as present perfect for Turkish learners.

4- LANGUAGE ACQUSITION PROCESS OF CHILDREN

The basics of language acqusition is same for all childeren whatever language they have been
learning as a first language. There are 3 general observations agreed:

1- There is no advantage over others in mother tongue.

2- Everyone learn mother tongue language at the age of 6-7
3- Language exposure is necessary.
4- Some impairements/diseases can affect language acqusition badly. Such as, down’s

sendrome or mongolism –chromosome disorder- , phenylcetonurie –metabolic disorder giving

harm to brain-, some physical or anotomical disorder(hearing impairment, cleft lip and

palate), some psychological or neurological disorder (otism- lack of communication) or fluency

(suttering/stammering)

NOTE: Another point in acqusition is GENERAL MATURATİON. That means childeren need

some abilities which come from aging such as ability to symbolize and ability to use it as a

tool.

Symbolization means, holding symbol in mind while referring a ‘’phrase’’ such as öcü for evil.
Second ability which is using as a tool is one of the biggest motivations they have inside due to

being fed when baby and using language for expressing seemed make their life easier.

ADULT INPUT in acqusition

From family

When this input derived in the arly languages , is make the acqusition almost impossible.

Because childeren spontaneously acquire language’s basis from the input.

BUT THE BABY TALK NOT MAKE DIFFRENCE to faster acqusition.

What is baby talk’s diffrence?

It exaggerated the ıntınation and have frequent repetitions.

Short and simple sentences and the ‘I’ and you’(subject nouns) replaced to real names.

Have baby talk vocabulary such as doggy, etc.

Questions are more frequent.

NOTE: Generali