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Language and Issues in Linguistics

The document discusses key topics in linguistics including definitions of language, features of language, and issues studied in linguistics. It defines language as a system of arbitrary symbols used by a social group to communicate ideas. Key features explored are double articulation, productivity, arbitrariness, and others. Issues in linguistics examined include descriptive vs. prescriptive approaches, synchronic vs. diachronic analysis, and differences between langue and parole. The document also discusses the relevance of linguistics knowledge for English language teaching.

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Jhian Ramonal
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88 views25 pages

Language and Issues in Linguistics

The document discusses key topics in linguistics including definitions of language, features of language, and issues studied in linguistics. It defines language as a system of arbitrary symbols used by a social group to communicate ideas. Key features explored are double articulation, productivity, arbitrariness, and others. Issues in linguistics examined include descriptive vs. prescriptive approaches, synchronic vs. diachronic analysis, and differences between langue and parole. The document also discusses the relevance of linguistics knowledge for English language teaching.

Uploaded by

Jhian Ramonal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Language and Issues

in Linguistics
1.
What is language?
Language

◂ It is a system of arbitrary symbols by means of which a


social group cooperates.
◂ Symbol ≠ Sound

3
≠ CHAIR ≠ HORSE

4
Language

◂ It is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols by means of


which a social group cooperates.
◂ Symbol ≠ Sound
◂ It is purely human and non-instinctive method of
communicating ideas, emotions and desires by means of
voluntarily produced symbols.

5
2.
Features of a
Language
Double Articulation

◂ Uses a small number of sounds that are combined to produce


large and finite number of words which in turn can be
combined to produce large and finite number of sentences

7
Productivity

◂ Can produce novel sentences that have never been uttered


before

8
Arbitrariness

◂ No necessary connection between sound and meaning

9
Interchangeability

◂ An individual can both be a speaker and a listener.

10
Displacement

◂ Can be used to talk about things that are not present or do not
exist
◂ Can also be used to lie

11
Discreteness

◂ The differences between language units are of an all-or-nothing


kind.

12
Cultural Transmission

◂ Some aspects of language are taught after birth and differ


according to the culture the child is reared in.

13
3.
Issues in Linguistics
Issues in Linguistics

◂ Prescriptive vs. Descriptive


◂ Synchronic vs. Diachronic
◂ Langue vs. Parole
◂ Competence vs. Performance
◂ Functionalism vs. Formalism

15
Descriptive vs. Prescriptive

◂ Descriptive – describes the fact of linguistic


usage as they are, its structure and
its rules as they are used in daily life
but its speakers
◂ Prescriptive – specifies how a language and its
grammar rules should be used

16
Synchronic vs. Diachronic

◂ Synchronic – aims at describing a language at a


specific point of time, either the
present or a particular point in the
past
◂ Diachronic– considers the development and
evolution of a language through
history

17
Langue vs. Parole

◂ Langue – the language system shared by a


community of speakers
◂ Parole – the concrete act of speaking in actual
situations by an individual speaker

18
Competence vs. Performance

◂ Competence – a person’s knowledge of his


language, the system of rules which he has
mastered to produce and understand
sentences and to recognize grammatical
mistakes
◂ Performance– the actual realization of language
knowledge, language seen as a set of
specific utterances produced by language
speakers
19
Functionalism vs. Formalism

◂ Functionalism – refers to the study of the form of


language in reference to their social
function in communication
◂ Formalism– refers to the study of the abstract
forms of language and their internal
relations

20
Linguistics and
English Language
Teaching
Linguistics and English Language Teaching

◂ Knowledge of linguistics may be useful for explaining


interference problems that may be experienced by English
language learners with the English sound system.
◂ Language teachers are advised to remember that each
language has its own inventory of phonemes that may differ
from that of another language.

22
Linguistics and English Language Teaching

◂ Language teachers need to realize that grammatical units


behave quite differently across languages.

23
Linguistics and English Language Teaching

◂ Helping students to discover the meaning of words by parsing


them into small parts depends heavily on the teacher’s
knowledge of morphology.

24
Linguistics and English Language Teaching

◂ Teacher’s knowledge about larger units of language use may


be relevant when teaching exchanges or conversations.

25

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