LanguageLanguage

LanguageLanguage

Communication – transmitting informationCommunication – transmitting information

Many animals communicateMany animals communicate

Call systems – system of communication Call systems – system of communication limited to a set number of signals limited to a set number of signals

Human language is more complex and Human language is more complex and can convey more complicated informationcan convey more complicated information

Origins of Human LanguageOrigins of Human Language

Steps toward language proposed by Hockett Steps toward language proposed by Hockett 1970’s1970’sPrelanguage – Prelanguage – Blending – new calls produced by combining two Blending – new calls produced by combining two

old onesold ones

Duality of Patterning – arrangements of Duality of Patterning – arrangements of blended sounds allow limitless number of blended sounds allow limitless number of soundssoundsStill limited compared to modern languageStill limited compared to modern language

Origins of Human LanguageOrigins of Human Language

When did language emerge?When did language emerge? Genus Genus HomoHomo 2 mya 2 mya Modern humans 200,000 yaModern humans 200,000 ya Increased tool complexity 50,000 yaIncreased tool complexity 50,000 ya

Human LanguageHuman Language

Conventionality Conventionality Association between a series of sounds and Association between a series of sounds and

an objectan object Certain combinations of sounds mean things Certain combinations of sounds mean things

because everyone agrees that they dobecause everyone agrees that they do We can use a small number of sounds, We can use a small number of sounds,

combine them in different ways to mean many combine them in different ways to mean many thingsthings

Human LanguageHuman Language

Conventionality Conventionality

ProductivityProductivity Words can be put together in sentencesWords can be put together in sentences Infinite number of sentences can be createdInfinite number of sentences can be created Language is flexible and can convey lots of Language is flexible and can convey lots of

informationinformation

Human LanguageHuman Language

Conventionality Conventionality

ProductivityProductivity

DisplacementDisplacement The ability to convey information about The ability to convey information about

something not presentsomething not present Ability to think abstractly– about past, future, Ability to think abstractly– about past, future,

pretendpretend

Learning LanguageLearning Language

By interacting with others who speak itBy interacting with others who speak it

Children can learn language more easily Children can learn language more easily than adultsthan adults

Noam Chomsky 1975 universal grammarNoam Chomsky 1975 universal grammar Basic set of rules that form foundation of all Basic set of rules that form foundation of all

languageslanguages Children have this basic idea of how words Children have this basic idea of how words

should go togethershould go together

Language StructureLanguage Structure

Phonology – a system of soundsPhonology – a system of sounds

Morphology – a system for creating words Morphology – a system for creating words from soundsfrom sounds

Syntax – a system of rules for combining Syntax – a system of rules for combining words into sentenceswords into sentences

Semantics – a system that relates words Semantics – a system that relates words to meaningto meaning

Language StructureLanguage Structure

Phonology – a system of soundsPhonology – a system of sounds Phones – set of sounds used in languagePhones – set of sounds used in language International Phonetic Alphabet – sounds of International Phonetic Alphabet – sounds of

all the world’s languagesall the world’s languages Each language uses a set of phones that Each language uses a set of phones that

speakers learn to pronounce and distinguishspeakers learn to pronounce and distinguish

Language StructureLanguage Structure

Phonology – a system of soundsPhonology – a system of sounds Phoneme – smallest sound unit that Phoneme – smallest sound unit that

distinguishes meaning in a languagedistinguishes meaning in a language /d/ and /th/ are phenomes, their different /d/ and /th/ are phenomes, their different

sounds change meaning : den and thensounds change meaning : den and then Allophones – different sounds, same meaningAllophones – different sounds, same meaning /t/ in stick, tick, and little are different /t/ in stick, tick, and little are different

phones(sounds) but not in a way that changes phones(sounds) but not in a way that changes meaningmeaning

Language StructureLanguage Structure

Morphology – a system for creating wordsMorphology – a system for creating words Morpheme – smallest unit of a language that Morpheme – smallest unit of a language that

has meaning eg. In dogs, s makes pluralhas meaning eg. In dogs, s makes plural Bound morphemes – have to be used with Bound morphemes – have to be used with

another unit of meaning, like s in dogsanother unit of meaning, like s in dogs Free morpheme – can stand on its own, like Free morpheme – can stand on its own, like

dogdog Word – smallest part of a sentence that has Word – smallest part of a sentence that has

meaning dog, teacher, unlocksmeaning dog, teacher, unlocks

Language StructureLanguage Structure

Morphology Morphology Languages differ in the number of morphemes Languages differ in the number of morphemes

in a word and how to combine themin a word and how to combine themIsolating languages have few morphemes per wordIsolating languages have few morphemes per word

Agglutinating and synthetic languages have manyAgglutinating and synthetic languages have many DonaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitänDonaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän

Danube steamship company captain in GermanDanube steamship company captain in German

Language StructureLanguage Structure

Syntax – the arrangement of words to form Syntax – the arrangement of words to form sentencessentences

In English word order is importantIn English word order is importantThe dog bit the man. The man bit the dog.The dog bit the man. The man bit the dog.

In Latin word endings indicate subject and object In Latin word endings indicate subject and object rather than word orderrather than word order

Gender classification Gender classification Romance languages – noun has gender, verbs and Romance languages – noun has gender, verbs and adjectives must agree with gender of nounadjectives must agree with gender of noun

Latin and German also have a neutral categoryLatin and German also have a neutral category

Papago has living things and growing thingsPapago has living things and growing things

Language StructureLanguage Structure

Semantics – a system that relates words Semantics – a system that relates words to meaningto meaning

Lexicon – words in a language, vocabularyLexicon – words in a language, vocabularyReflects what is important in that cultureReflects what is important in that culture

Hunter gatherers can name 500-1000 plantsHunter gatherers can name 500-1000 plants

Language and CultureLanguage and Culture

Sociolinguistics – study of the Sociolinguistics – study of the performance of communicationperformance of communication How speech varies depending on social How speech varies depending on social

situation, status, relationshipsituation, status, relationshipFormal and informal structures eg tu and ustedFormal and informal structures eg tu and usted

May even use different language, at home vs in May even use different language, at home vs in official business especially where social hierarchy official business especially where social hierarchy like colonialismlike colonialism

Language and CultureLanguage and Culture

Languages and dialectsLanguages and dialects When there is more than one way to say When there is more than one way to say

something, both linguistically correct, one something, both linguistically correct, one socially correctsocially correct

the most powerful group decides the the most powerful group decides the “correct” use in the language, other uses are “correct” use in the language, other uses are dialectsdialects

Eg. Is not vs. ain’t Eg. Is not vs. ain’t

I don’t have any vs. I don’t got noI don’t have any vs. I don’t got no

Language and CultureLanguage and Culture

Pidgins and CreolesPidgins and Creoles Pidgin Pidgin

Language of trade Language of trade

No one speaks as first languageNo one speaks as first language

Vocabulary limited to interactionVocabulary limited to interaction CreoleCreole

Language composed of elements of other languagesLanguage composed of elements of other languages

Spoken as first languageSpoken as first language

As complex and rich as other languagesAs complex and rich as other languages

Sapir-Wharf HypothesisSapir-Wharf Hypothesis

Language plays a role in how people Language plays a role in how people understand the worldunderstand the world

Concepts such as time, space, and matter Concepts such as time, space, and matter are conditioned by the structure of languageare conditioned by the structure of language

Non-Verbal CommunicationNon-Verbal CommunicationThrough artifactsThrough artifacts Clothing, jewelry, tattoos, piercingClothing, jewelry, tattoos, piercing

Haptics – study of touchHaptics – study of touch Handshakes, pats, kisses, hugsHandshakes, pats, kisses, hugs

Chronemics – understanding of timeChronemics – understanding of time What does it mean to show up late/earlyWhat does it mean to show up late/early

Proxemics – study of interpersonal spaceProxemics – study of interpersonal space Streets, buildings, furniture, personal spaceStreets, buildings, furniture, personal space

Kinesics – study of body position, facial Kinesics – study of body position, facial expression, movement, gazeexpression, movement, gaze smilingsmiling

Language ChangeLanguage Change

Historical linguists study how language Historical linguists study how language changes over timechanges over timeChanging sounds Changing sounds The Great Vowel Shift 1400-1600The Great Vowel Shift 1400-1600

Changing syntaxChanging syntax In Old English word order not importantIn Old English word order not important

Changing lexiconChanging lexicon Comparative linguistics studies change to Comparative linguistics studies change to

discover relationships to other languagesdiscover relationships to other languages