v1.0 可编辑可修改 Chapter one Introduction

什么是语言学

定义

语言学Linguistics

Linguistics is generally defined as the scientific study of language.

scope of linguistics语言学分支 必考P2

普通语言学General Linguistics

The study of language as a whole is often called General linguistics.

The study of sounds, which are used in linguistic communication, is called phonetics.（语音学）

The study of how sounds are put together and used in communication is called phonology. （音位学）

The study of the way in which morphemes are arranged to form words are called morphology. （形态学）

The study of how morphemes and words are combined to form sentences is called syntax（句法学）

The study of meaning in language is called semantics. （语义学） The study of meaning in context of use is called pragmatics. （语用学）

Some important distinctions in linguistics 成对的概念辨析差异 必考P3

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v1.0 可编辑可修改 （1）Prescriptive and descriptive 规定与描写

If a linguistic study describes and analyzes the language people actually use, it is said to be descriptive, if it aims to lay down rules to tell people what they should say and what they should not say, it is said to be prescriptive.

Modern linguistics differs from traditional grammar. Traditional grammar is prescriptive while modern linguistics is descriptive. The task of linguists is supposed to describe the language people actually use, whether it is “correct” or not.

规定性Prescriptive

It aims to lay down rules for ”correct” behavior, to tell people what they should say and what should not say. 描述性Descriptive

A linguistic study describes and analyzes the language people actually use.

（2）Synchronic and diachronic 共时和历时

The description of a language at some point in time is a synchronic study; the description of a language as it changes through time is a diachronic study. In modern linguistics, synchronic study is more important. 历时语言学Diachronic linguistics

The study of language change through time. a diachronic study of language is a historical study, which studies the historical development of language over a period of time.

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v1.0 可编辑可修改 共时语言学Synchronical linguistics

The study of a given language at a given time.

（3）Speech and writing 口头语与书面语

Speech and writing are the two major media of communication. Modern linguistics regards the spoken form of language as primary, but not the written form. Reasons are: 1. Speech precedes writing; 2. There are still many languages that have only the spoken form; 3. In terms of function, the spoken language is used for a wider range of purposes than the written, and carries a larger load of communication than the written.

（4）Langue and parole 语言和言语 必考名解P4

The Swiss linguist F. de Saussure made the distinction between langue and parole early 20th century.

Langue refers to the abstract linguistic system shared by all the members of a speech community, and parole refers to the realization of langue in actual use. Saussure made the distinction in order to single out one aspect of language for serious study. He believes what linguists should do is to abstract langue from parole, to discover the regularities governing the actual use of language and make them the subjects of study of linguistics. 语言langue （抽象）

The abstract linguistic system shared by all members of a speech community. 3

v1.0 可编辑可修改 言语parole （具体）

The realization of langue in actual use.

（5）Competence and performance 语言能力和语言运用

Proposed by American linguist N. Chomsky in the late 1950’s.

He defines competence as the ideal user’s knowledge of the rules of his language, and performance the actual realization of this knowledge in linguistic communication. He believes the task of the linguists is to discover and specify the language rules. 语言能力Competence （抽象）

Competence is the ideal user’s knowledge of the rules of his language. 语言运用performance （具体）

Performance is the actual realization of this knowledge in linguistic communication. 语言运用是所掌握的规则在语言交际中的具体体现。

（6）Traditional grammar and modern linguistics 传统语法和现代语法

It is generally believed that the beginning of modern linguistics was marked by the publication of F·de Saussure’ s book “Course in General Linguistics” in the early 20 century. Before that is traditional grammar.

Differences between traditional grammar and modern linguistics:

Modern linguistics is descriptive while traditional grammar is prescriptive. 4

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