general lecture - the spanish language and language learning 1

8/7/2019 General Lecture - The Spanish Language and Language Learning 1

1/16

SPANISH YEAR 1 GENERALSPANISH YEAR 1 GENERAL

LECTURESLECTURES 20102010--1111

THE SPANISH LANGUAGE ANDTHE SPANISH LANGUAGE AND

LANGUAGE LEARNING 1LANGUAGE LEARNING 1


2/16

Preamble: why studyPreamble: why study

(socio)linguistics?(socio)linguistics? Time spent in Spain/LA:Time spent in Spain/LA: e.g. beyonde.g. beyond

grammar to usegrammar to use

Year 4 work:.Year 4 work:. e.g. stylistic analysise.g. stylistic analysis

Development of command of SpanishDevelopment of command of Spanish

Development of command of English:Development of command of English: e.g.e.g.

translationtranslation

Deeper understanding of societies in whichDeeper understanding of societies in whichSpanish is spoken:Spanish is spoken:

language is inseparable from culture.language is inseparable from culture.


3/16

Greater awareness of centrality ofGreater awareness of centrality of

language in our lives.language in our lives. Language is the place where actual andLanguage is the place where actual and

possible forms of social organization andpossible forms of social organization andtheir likely social and political consequencestheir likely social and political consequencesare defined and contested. Yet it is also theare defined and contested. Yet it is also theplace where our sense of ourselves, ourplace where our sense of ourselves, oursubjectivity, is constructed (Weedon 1997:subjectivity, is constructed (Weedon 1997:

21).21). Language is the consort of empire (NebrijaLanguage is the consort of empire (Nebrija

1492).1492).


4/16

Language can "make murder respectableLanguage can "make murder respectable

and give the appearance of solidity to pureand give the appearance of solidity to pure

wind"(Orwell 1946).wind"(Orwell 1946). Following this governments golden rule ofFollowing this governments golden rule of

playing with words in order to confuse theplaying with words in order to confuse the

public, they use the term entitlement cardpublic, they use the term entitlement card

rather than national identity card(rather than national identity card(El PasEl Pas

2002)2002)


5/16

These lectures will help you to understand,These lectures will help you to understand,

with specific reference to Spanish:with specific reference to Spanish:

some fundamentals concerning the naturesome fundamentals concerning the nature

of human language(s)of human language(s)

some of the basic structural properties ofsome of the basic structural properties ofSpanish and language generallySpanish and language generally


6/16

What is Spanish?What is Spanish?

What is (a) language?What is (a) language?


7/16

2.12.1 DualityDuality

c. 29 sounds = infinity.c. 29 sounds = infinity.

How many sounds can you make?How many sounds can you make?

How sounds are there in English?How sounds are there in English? How many sounds are there in Spanish?How many sounds are there in Spanish?

caballo/caballa/cabello/cabezo, etc.caballo/caballa/cabello/cabezo, etc.

THE BASIC ELEMENTS ARE FINITE.THE BASIC ELEMENTS ARE FINITE.


8/16

2.22.2 ArbitrarinessArbitrariness

gambagamba camacama Focas!Focas!

birdbird pjaropjaro ocellocell txoritxori

gosgos gossegosse

saber/conocersaber/conocer subjunctive moodsubjunctive mood

RULERULE--GOVERNED ARBITRARINESS.GOVERNED ARBITRARINESS.

ronronearronronear guauguau--guauguau quiquiriquiquiquiriqui pumpum

bangbang panpan pengpeng dzastdzast pumpum

phonaesthesia: tximeleta; farfalle; Schmetterlingphonaesthesia: tximeleta; farfalle; Schmetterlingdonkey/cow, etc.donkey/cow, etc.


9/16

+ displacement:+ displacement:

T crees que hay leones en Noruega?T crees que hay leones en Noruega?

Te acuerdas de esa cebra tan suculentaTe acuerdas de esa cebra tan suculenta

que comimos el mes pasado?que comimos el mes pasado?


10/16


11/16

The sociocultural world:The sociocultural world: estanco = tobacconistsestanco = tobacconists

newsagent = dueo de una tienda que vendenewsagent = dueo de una tienda que vendeprensa, caramelos, etc.prensa, caramelos, etc.

consuegros;consuegros; cuadacuada

Taboo, euphemism and value:Taboo, euphemism and value:

ostras;ostras; hostia;hostia; de puta madre;de puta madre;tener cojonestener cojones

gay;gay; maricn;maricn; (49 terms v. 5)(49 terms v. 5)

Amrica v. AmericaAmrica v. America


12/16

CULTURE AND LANGUAGE ARECULTURE AND LANGUAGE ARE

INSEPARABLE.INSEPARABLE.

WE DISSECT NATURE ALONG LINESWE DISSECT NATURE ALONG LINESLAID DOWN BY OUR NATIVELAID DOWN BY OUR NATIVE

LANGUAGES. (SapirLANGUAGES. (Sapir--Whorf hypothesis)Whorf hypothesis)


13/16

2.4 Variation, productivity and2.4 Variation, productivity and

creativitycreativity Variation over time:Variation over time:

(diachronic)(diachronic) platicarplaticar

T/V formsT/V forms el mdicoel mdico la mdicola mdico la mdicala mdica


14/16

Variation at a time:Variation at a time: ceceoceceov.v. seseoseseo

(synchronic)(synchronic)

autobs/camin/guagua/colectivo/micro,autobs/camin/guagua/colectivo/micro,

etc.etc.

age/generation: guayage/generation: guay guiriguiri

Productivity:Productivity: affixation; descafeinadoaffixation; descafeinado

extraescolar escandalizarextraescolar escandalizar


15/16

cafecito jovencito cincuentona jefazocafecito jovencito cincuentona jefazo

borrowing;borrowing; smashsmashfax (faxear or faxar?)fax (faxear or faxar?)

puentingpuenting

calques;calques; sndrome de las vacas locassndrome de las vacas locas comidacomidabasurabasura

balompi v. ftbolbalompi v. ftbol

CHANGE AND VARIATION ARE PERVASIVE.CHANGE AND VARIATION ARE PERVASIVE.

CONSISTENCY!CONSISTENCY!

NATIVE SPEAKERS ARENT OMNISCIENT.NATIVE SPEAKERS ARENT OMNISCIENT.


16/16

FURTHER READING.FURTHER READING.

STEWART, M. 1999.STEWART, M. 1999. THE SPANISHTHE SPANISH

LANGUAGELANGUAGE TODAYTODAY.. ROUTLEDGE.ROUTLEDGE.

MESTHRIE, R.MESTHRIE, R. etaletal.. 2000.2000. INTRODUCINGINTRODUCINGSOCIOLINGUISTICSSOCIOLINGUISTICS. EDINBURGH. EDINBURGH

UNIVERSITY PRESS.UNIVERSITY PRESS.

TRASK, R. 1995.TRASK, R. 1995.LANGUAGE: THELANGUAGE: THE

BASICSBASICS. ROUTLEDGE.. ROUTLEDGE.

general lecture - the spanish language and language learning 1

Documents