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    The Properties of Human Language

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    Johan Guaje
    The document discusses the key properties of human language: (1) Displacement allows language to refer to past/future times and locations. (2) Arbitrariness means there is no natural connection between linguistic forms and meanings. (3) Productivity enables language users to understand and create new utterances. (4) Cultural transmission means language is passed down between generations rather than genetically.

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    The Properties of Human Language

    Uploaded by

    Johan Guaje
    1K views10 pages
    The document discusses the key properties of human language: (1) Displacement allows language to refer to past/future times and locations. (2) Arbitrariness means there is no natural connection between linguistic forms and meanings. (3) Productivity enables language users to understand and create new utterances. (4) Cultural transmission means language is passed down between generations rather than genetically.

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    Yhayaks

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    The document discusses the key properties of human language: (1) Displacement allows language to refer to past/future times and locations. (2) Arbitrariness means there is no natural connection between linguistic forms and meanings. (3) Productivity enables language users to understand and create new utterances. (4) Cultural transmission means language is passed down between generations rather than genetically.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    1K views10 pages

    The Properties of Human Language

    Uploaded by

    Johan Guaje
    The document discusses the key properties of human language: (1) Displacement allows language to refer to past/future times and locations. (2) Arbitrariness means there is no natural connection between linguistic forms and meanings. (3) Productivity enables language users to understand and create new utterances. (4) Cultural transmission means language is passed down between generations rather than genetically.

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    The Properties of Human Language

    Yule, George (1996).The Study of Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    The Properties of Human Language


    Unique system of communication Informative signals: signals which you have not intentionally sent body language Communicative signals: signals you use intentionally to communicate something

    The Properties of Human Language


    (1) DISPLACEMENT human language can refer to past and future time and to other locations bee language: dance routine to communicate the location of nectar

    (2) ARBITRARINESS
    no natural connection between linguistic form and its meaning arbitrary relationship between linguistic signs and objects of the real world (no iconic relationship)

    (3) PRODUCTIVITY/ CREATIVITY


    a child learning a language is active in forming and producing utterances it has never heard before a language user can manipulate his linguistic resources open endedness

    (4) CULTURAL TRANSMISSION


    We acquire language with other speakers - not from parental genes
    Language is passed on from one generation to the next

    (5) DISCRETENESS
    The sounds used in a language are meaningfully distinct e.g.: pack back pin - bin Difference in pronunciation between /p/ and /b/ sound leads to a difference in meaning

    (6) DUALITY
    Language is organised on two levels: Physical level at which we can produce individual sounds e.g. n, b, i. Meaning level: when we produce sounds in combination e.g.: nib, bin

    (7) SEMANTICITY

    Language carries meaning

    (8) STRUCTURE DEPENDENCE

    Language is dependent on structure syntactical rules

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