LIN 1101

TOPIC 1

Major Sub-fields of Linguistics

• Phonetics: nature of speech sounds– How they are articulated (articulatory phonetics)– Their physical properties (acoustic phonetics)– How they are perceived (auditory / perceptual phonetics)

• Phonology: organization of speech sounds– How the particular sounds used in each language form an

integrated system for encoding information and how such systems differ from one language to another

• Morphology: structure of words– The way in which words are constructed out of smaller

meaningful units

Major Sub-fields of Linguistics

• Syntax: structure of sentences– The way in which sentences are constructed and how

sentences are related to each other

• Semantics: study of meaning– How words and sentences are related to the (real or

imaginary) objects they refer to and the situations they describe

• Anthropological Linguistics: – The study of interrelationship between language and

culture (particularly in the context of non-Western cultures and societies)

Major Sub-fields of Linguistics

• Applied Linguistics:– The application of the methods and results of

linguistics to such areas as language teaching; national language policies; lexicography; translation; and language in politics, advertising, classrooms, courts, and the like; language pathology (speech therapy and audiology)

• Historical Linguistics:– The study of how languages change through time

– The relationships of languages to each other

Major Sub-fields of Linguistics

• Neurolinguistics:– The study of the brain and how it functions in the

production, perception and acquisition of language

• Pragmatics:– How the meaning conveyed by a word or sentence

depends on aspects of the context in which it is used (such as time, place, social relationship between speaker and hearer, and speaker’s assumptions about the hearer’s beliefs)

Major Sub-fields of Linguistics

• Psycholinguistics:– The study of the interrelationship of language

and cognitive structures– The acquisition of language

• Sociolinguistics:– The study of the interrelationships of language

and social structure, linguistic variation, and attitudes toward language

PHONETICS: Sounds of language

• Phonetic Alphabet: provides a symbol to represent each sound

• How sounds are produced

• The acoustic properties of sounds

PHONOLOGY: Organization of speech sounds

• They are governed by rules

• We are not consciously aware of these rules or even of all the speech sounds we produce in our language

EXAMPLE

• Rule of English Phonology: aspirate p,t and k at the beginning of words or at the beginning of stressed syllables pit [phIt] spit [spIt]

• In Thai: both kinds of “p” can occur at the beginning of words forest [paa] to split [phaa]

MORPHOLOGY

• How are words and parts of words stored?

• What is the lexicon or mental dictionary like?

• Do words form networks based on semantic or structural similarities?

MORPHOLOGY

• Words can be subdivided into meaningful or functional subparts:

displease unpleasant please

pleasant

pleasure displeasure

pleasing

MORPHOLOGY

cats [s]

dogs [z] All Plurals

churches [ez]

However, phonological type rules govern the phonetic form of the plural ending – a morphophonological rule

SYNTAX

1) John is easy to please

2) John is eager to please

• Sentences 1 and 2 have similar structures on the surface

Noun – Verb – Adjective – Infinitive

SYNTAX

• John is easy to please.

• ? = subject of please

• John = object of ‘to please’

• John is eager to please.

• John = subject of ‘to please’

• ? = object of please

SYNTAX

1) John is easy to please2) John is eager to pleaseIn sentence 1, John is unspoken/understood

subject of ‘to please’ object = ? (somebody)

In sentence 2, John is unspoken/understood object of ‘to please’

subject = ? (somebody)

SYNTAX

• In English, word order helps us understand the role of words in sentences:

• The dog chased the cat.

• The cat chased the dog.

SYNTAX

• In some languages, prefixes and suffixes help identify the role of words in sentences.

• Word order is less crucial and so can be more free.

• In Japanese, ‘Yumiko scolded the child’:

• Yumiko-ga sono kodomo-o sikat-ta

• Sono kodomo-o Yumiko-ga sikat-ta

SYNTAX

• In Japanese, ‘Yumiko scolded the child’:

• Yumiko-ga sono kodomo-o sikat-ta

• yumiko-NOM that child-ACC scold-past

• Sono kodomo-o Yumiko-ga sikat-ta

• that child-ACC yumiko-NOM scold-past

NINE IDEAS ABOUT LANGUAGE1. Children learn their native language swiftly, efficiently, and largely without

instruction.

2. Language operates by rules.

3. All languages have three major components: a sound system, a vocabulary,and a system of grammar.

4. Everyone speaks a dialect.

5. Speakers of all languages employ a range of styles and a set of subdialects orjargons.

6. Language change is normal.

7. Languages are intimately related to the societies and individuals who usethem.

8. Value judgments about different languages or dialects are matters of taste.

9. Writing is derivative of speech.