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1003210419 Cui Jianying


Strengthen the ability to find the essence of language through some language phenomenon.
The subject in the entrance examination of MA. Close relationship with your future career.
General linguistics
Phonetics----speech sound (description, classification, transcription): articulatory phonetics, acoustic phonetics, auditory phonetics. Phonology----sound patterns of languages Morphology----the form of words Syntax----the rules governing the combination of words into sentence. Semantics----the meaning of language Pragmatics----the meaning of language in the context of language use
The Scope or Branches of Linguistics


General linguistics Phonetics Phonology Morphology Syntax Semantics Pragmatics
Uses of linguistics Sociolinguistics Psycholinguistics Applied linguistics ……
Diachronic study---description of a language throuent of language over a period of time)
Speech vs writing
Speech ---- primary medium of language Writing ---- later developed
语言学教程
胡壮麟
Welcome to Linguistics
Why do we study linguistics?
The core component of the English major. The indispensable element of the whole knowledge system for those who study language. Can deepen your understanding about language.
Traditional grammar ---- prescriptive, written, Latin-based framework
Modern linguistics ----- descriptive, spoken, not necessarily Latin-based framework
Difficulties
Too many terms to memorize Too difficult to understand Too tedious to like it
How to study?


Preview and review
Answer the questions at the end of each chapter by yourself. Memorize the important terms based on your understanding. Find something you are interested in and prepare for your thesis.
1.1 What is linguistics?
Definition of linguistics
----Linguistics is the scientific study of language.
----A person who studies linguistics is known as a linguist.
Linguistics to be is bound an academically and economically favored pursuit. It is also a subject of theoretical importance, for one thing ,structuralism originating from Saussure’s views has influenced many other related social sciences such as literary studies and social studies.
Some important distinctions in linguistics
Descriptive vs prescriptive
Descriptive ---- describe/analyze linguistic facts observed or language people actually use (modern linguistic)
Grasp the basic terms in the field of linguistics. Construct a good foundation for further study.
Gradually study linguistics by yourselves, esp. for the graduation thesis and future MA exams
Saussure takes a sociological view of language and his notion of langue is a matter of social conventions.
Competence and performance
Competence ---- the ideal user’s knowledge of the rules of his language Performance ---- the actual realization of this knowledge in linguistic communication
Chomsky looks at language from a psychological point of view and to him competence is a property of the mind of each individual.
Traditional grammar vs modern linguistics


Research Approach of Linguistics
Collection and Observation of Language Facts
Generalization
Hypotheses
Hypotheses Checked
Our goal
Have a general understanding of linguistics.
Langue vs parole
Langue ---- the abstract linguistic system shared by all members of the speech community.
Parole ---- the realization of langue in actual use.
Uses of linguistics
Sociolinguistics---- social factors (e.g. class, education) affecting language use
Psycholinguistics----linguistic behavior and psychological process Applied linguistics----linguistics and language teaching
Prescriptive ----lay down rules for “correct” linguistic behavior in using language (traditional grammar)
Synchronic vs diachronic
Synchronic study---description of a language at some point of time (modern linguistics)