Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. -- Our textbook (widely-accepted definition) ( 2001)

Key words:

system; arbitrary; vocal;

symbol; human communication

Language is a system: Elements of language are combined according to rules.

Language is arbitrary: There is no close connection between a word and the object it refers to. Language is symbolic: Words are associated with objects, actions, ideas, concepts etc. by nothing but convention.

Language is vocal: sound or speech is the primary medium for all human languages. Language is human: in the sense that language is human specific. 1.2 Design Features of Language Arbitrariness （任意性） Duality （二重性） Creativity （创造性） Displacement（移位性） Arbitrariness:

The forms of language signs bear no natural relationship to their meaning. (Saussure)

Arbitrary relationship between the sound of a morpheme and its meaning, even with onomatopoeic words:

The dog barks wow wow in English but “汪汪汪” in Chinese. \ Duality:

Language has 2 levels of structures: sounds & meanings.

A small number of sounds can be grouped and regrouped into a large number of units of meaning. The units of meanings can be grouped and regrouped into an infinite number of sentences. (Lyons) Creativity:

We can understand and create sentences that we never heard before. It comes from 2 features: duality & recursiveness (递归性)

e.g. He got the present from his teacher who taught him a lesson that… Displacement:

Human languages enable their users to symbolize objects, events and concepts which are not present ( in time and space) at the moment of communication.

1.4 Functions of Language

Informative (ideational)（信息功能） Interpersonal function （人际功能） Performative （行事功能） Emotive function （情感功能） Phatic communion （寒暄交际） Recreational function（消遣功能）

Metalingual function (元语言功能)

Informative( descriptive) :To tell the fact and describe the material world. e.g :I have a book. Interpersonal function: To establish or maintain social status. e.g: Dear Sir

Performative : To perform certain action by uttering certain words or sentences. e.g: the priest says:” I announce you husband and wife.”

Emotive function( expressive): To express immediate feelings or the reaction to the immediate situation. e.g: “god!”

Phatic communion: To create an atmosphere, or maintain social contact. e.g: greetings, comments and farewells.

Recreational function: To recreate. e.g: poetry writing gives them the pleasure of using language for its sheer beauty.

Metalingual function: To make the language infinitely self-reflexive.

Phatic communion: To create an atmosphere, or maintain social contact. e.g: greetings, comments and farewells.

Recreational function: To recreate. e.g: poetry writing gives them the pleasure of using language for its sheer beauty.

Metalingual function: To make the language infinitely self-reflexive. 1.5 What is linguistics?

“Linguistics is the scientific study of language.”

1.6 Main branches of linguistics Phonetics (语音学) Phonology(音系学) Morphology (形态学) Syntax (句法学) Semantics (语义学) Pragmatics (语用学)

Phonetics and Phonology (the sounds and the sound system or patterns) Morphology (the structure of words)

Syntax (the structure of phrases and sentences and the constraints on well-formedness of sentences)

Semantics (the meaning of words and sentences)

Pragmatics (the way language is used to communicate) 1.8 Important distinctions in linguistics Descriptive vs. Prescriptive 描写式 VS 规定式 Synchronic vs. Diachronic 共时性VS历时性 Langue vs. Parole

语言 VS 言语

Competence vs. Performance

语言能力VS语言运用 Etic vs. Emic

非位学（素学）VS 位学

Modern linguistics is mostly descriptive, not prescriptive. Why?

--Objective description helps to see the nature of language.

--Language changes through time: new words and structures arise to satisfy up-to-date communication.

The nature of linguistics as a science determines its preoccupation with description instead of prescription

Langue: the linguistic competence of the speaker, it is usually abstract, stable, systematic. Parole: the actual phenomena or data of linguistics, it is usually specific and changeable. The Distinction between Langue and Parole

Langue: Parole: --potential --actual

--social --individual --language in general --language behavior --a set of conventions --concrete use of the rules --abstract --specific

--stable --situational

Saussure?s purpose to distinguish ?langue? and ?parole?: To discover the regularities governing the actual use of language and make them the subjects of the study of linguistics.