Language StructureStudy Guide for ESOL teachers

Language StructureStudy Guide for ESOL teachers

All Languages Have Structure

“Every spoken language uses discrete sound segments and has a class of vowels and a class of consonants” (Rico, Weed 2010).

Phonology: The Sound of Patterns of a Language

Phonemes are the sounds that make up a language.

/t/ as in tip/d/ as in dip

Phonemes, cont’d.

Pitch = the vibration of the vocal chords.“Eva is going.” versus “Eva is going?”→ the use of pitch to modify the sentence meaning is call intonation.

Phonemes, cont’d.

Stress = the increase in vocal activity→ record, record

Morphology: The Words of Language

Morphemes = basic building blocks of language

Abolitionists = 4 morphemesaboli + tion + ist + s

Syntax: The Sentence Patterns of Language

Syntax = the structure of sentences and the rules that govern the formation of a sentence.

“Jabberwocky” by Lewis Carroll

Semantics: The Meaning of Language

Semantics = the study of meanings of individual words and of larger units such as phrases and sentences.

“They’re just arguing semantics”

Pragmatics: The Influence of Context

Pragmatics = the study of communication in context.→ 3 major communication skills1. ability to use language for different functions2. ability to appropriately adapt or change language3. ability to follow rules for conversations

Nonverbal Communication

Body LanguageGesturesFacial ExpressionsEye ContactCommunicative Distance