Introduction to General Linguistics lecture 1

WELCOME TO

M Phil Linguistics new module

INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL LINGUISTICS

Mr. Iqbal Ranjha

Difference between L1 & L2:

L1Initial linguistic experience, L2 later on L1 in Home environment (activities) , L2 is

seldom context based Adaptability and malleability L1 lacks meta-language (language or set of

symbols), L2 speaker posses vocabulary for referring

When:

L2 is foreign language? Foreign language becomes L1? Pidgin becomes Creole? Creole becomes L1?

Is L2 acquired or learnt?

Learning Artificial Technical Priority on written

language Theory (language

analysis) Deductive teaching (rule

driven, top-down)

Acquisition Natural Personal Priority on spoken

language Practice (language in

use) Inductive coaching (rule

discovery, bottom-up)

Is L2 acquired or learnt? (Continue)

Preset syllable Activities ABOUT

language Focus on form

Produces knowledge

Improvised activities Activities IN language

Focus on communication

Produces an ability

Do animals have language? Parrots speak Ants as social insects Honey bees convey message Study of Struchsaker (1967) about monkeys:

chutter: cobra or poisonous snake, rraup: eagle, chirp: lion or leopard, uh!: hyena

Animals are alike around the globe

Do animals have language? Human languages differ even at a small

distance

If animals have language then where lies the difference lies?

But what language is????

What is LANGUAGE?

Language?

A language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols by means of which a social group cooperates (Bloch and Trager 1942, p. 5 )

Ferdinand de Saussure-Bio

Born 26 November 1857 – (French origin, moved to Geneva)

From a family of many scholarsStudied Latin, Greek, chemistry, theology and

law at University of Geneva (1875-76)At age 21, wrote Mémoire sur le système primitif

des voyelle dans les langues indo-européennes in which he proved scholars wrong.


1880 awarded doctorate at University Leipzig (Germany).

Taught at Paris.1891 returned to Geneva to teach there.Taught ancient Sanskrit for 21 (!) years!Was asked to teach a course in General

Linguistics (taught it three times 1907 - 11)


Influenced many different linguists, but also other disciplines:

AnthropologyPsychiatryLiterary criticism

Ferdinand de Saussure-Linguistics / Key Terms

What is language: Knowledge

Collective knowledge vs individual use

Distinction between LANGUE vs PAROLE


Language is a system not structure

SYSTEM VS STRUCTURE


What does this system consist of?

Signs

So language is a system of signs


Sign:– combination of a concept and a sound-image

Signifier:– the sound-image

Signified:– concept

What does all this mess mean? An Example of Saussure’s words

Signifier I Signified I

(Image) (Concept)

(Roses) (Passion)

Sign I(passionified roses)

What does all this mess mean? An Example of Saussure’s words

Signifier II Signified II

(Image) (Concept)(Passionified Roses) (Valentine’s Day)

(i.e. Sign becomesnew Signifier)

Sign II(Product consumption, expenditure of money as romantic obligation) ...

Ferdinand de Saussure-Linguistics

Arbitrary Nature of the Sign– We have inherited language from our ancestors.

What’s in a name? that which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet.

(Shakespeare)– Language is connecting sound-images


Arbitrary Nature of the Sign (2)– Boundaries become blurred when we look

at different types of “language” (e.g. body

language, pantomime, spoken language,

written language, deaf-mute language, sign

language etc.)


Immutability of the Sign– The signifier (sound-image) “is fixed, not

free”– “community itself cannot control so much as

a single word; it is bound to the existing language.”

– Problem: modern language has added many different words (e.g. computers, “teen” language)


Immutability of the Sign (2)– Language is a law, not a rule which we can opt

to follow.– We inherit these laws from our ancestors. – Language is a social “institution” and must be

seen in the setting.– “Speakers are largely unconscious of the laws

of language.”


Immutability of the Sign (3)(1) Arbitrary Nature of the Sign

(2) Multiplicity of Signs Needed for Language

(3) System is “overly complex”

(4) Community does not care to change things.


Mutability– Time changes the relationship between signi-fier

(sound-image), signified (concept) and therefore the sign.

– E.g. “mouse” =

= = “mouse”


Mutability (2)– Language = product of both social force

and time. – It holds true even for artificial languages,

such as Esperanto.

Ferdinand de Saussure

Language is a social construct which re-quires a community of speakers.

Linguistic sign is arbitrary and cannot be taken out of social or temporal context. This is exactly, where signifier and signified are able to shift their relationships (compare “mouse” and “mouse”).

Language:

Is a relation between expression and meaning

Context is the most important Is there any salt on the table? Have you left the door open?

Three face of language

meaning – expression - contex

Difference between human

and animal language Use of vocal auditory channel Arbitrariness Semanticity Cultural transmission Spontaneous usage

Difference between human

and animal language Displacement Turn taking Duality Structure dependence creativity

QUESTIONS

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Documents

Introduction to General Linguistics lecture 1