Scribd
Upload
117 views

Introduction To Language

Language is a complex human ability that allows for communication through systematic symbols. It has a structure that includes phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. Language is learned unconsciously by children and allows for creativity through rule-based combinations of sounds and meanings. It serves functions like communication, social interaction, and as a tool for thought.

Uploaded by

PallaviKulshrestha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
117 views

Introduction To Language

Language is a complex human ability that allows for communication through systematic symbols. It has a structure that includes phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. Language is learned unconsciously by children and allows for creativity through rule-based combinations of sounds and meanings. It serves functions like communication, social interaction, and as a tool for thought.

Uploaded by

PallaviKulshrestha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 17

INTRODUCTION TO LANGUAGE

INTRODUCTION
 “Language fills every part of our lives, it gives
words to our thoughts, voice to our ideas &
expression to our feelings”
 It is a rich & varied human ability.

 We use language automatically without


practically thinking about it.
 Children acquire language effortlessly.

 Language is highly complex.


DEFINITION & MEANING
 Language is a code whereby the idea about the
world are represented through conventional
system of arbitrary signals for communication.
 Language is a set of (finite or infinite)
sentences, each finite in length & constructed of
finite elements.
 Language is purely human ability.
STRUCTURE OF LANGUAGE
 Phonology
 Morphology

 Syntax

 Semantics

 Pragmatics
STRUCTURE OF LANGUAGE
 Phonology : Study of speech sounds is called
phonetics.
 Three aspects of phonetics:

a) Articulatory phonetics : How speech sounds are


produced
b) Acoustic phonetics : How speech sounds travel
in air.
c) Auditory phonetics : How the ears perceive
speech sounds.
 Phoneme is the single speech sound. They are
vowels & consonants.
STRUCTURE OF LANGUAGE
 Morphology : It is the study of morphemes.
Morphemes are the basic, minimum, meaningful
unit of language – smallest unit of meaning.
 Morphemes are of two types :

Free Morphemes Bound Morphemes


E.g. boy, girl, walk E.g. –s, -ed, -ing, -
etc. ly, re- etc.

Free morphemes can occur independently in a


sentence.
Bound morphemes cannot; they are attached to free
morphemes.
STRUCTURE OF LANGUAGE
 Syntax : It refers to arrangement of words in
sentence.
 “The teacher wrote on blackboard”

 “The blackboard on teacher wrote”

 English follows Subject-Verb-Object syntax


 “Sita killed the rat”

 Hindi follows Subject-Object-Verb syntax

 “Sita ne chuhe ko maara.”


STRUCTURE OF LANGUAGE
 Semantics : It is the study of meaning.
 Meaning is important at phonological level
(speech sounds), morphological level (morphemes
& words) & syntactic level (sentence levels)
 Lexical relations like Synonyms, Antonyms &
Homonyms etc.
STRUCTURE OF LANGUAGE
 Pragmatics : It is the study of use of language.
 It is the study of system that tells the listener the
idea about who said what to whom, how & why.
 Context is very important to understand the full
meaning.
 A : “I have a 14 yrs. old son.”

 B : “Well, that’s all right”

 A : “I also have a dog”

 B : “Oh! Then I’m sorry”


CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN LANGUAGE
 Creativity
 Duality

 Arbitrariness

 Displacement

 Cultural transmission

 Reflexivity

 Recursion
CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN LANGUAGE
 Creativity : New words/ sentences are
continually being created.
 The speaker is able to understand sentences he
has never heard before.

 Duality : “Double articulation” meaning two


levels of sounds.
 One at level of distinct sounds – /n/, /m/, /b/ etc.
 Other at level of words with meanings – nib, man
etc.
 With limited no. of distinct sounds, we are able to
create a large no. of morphemes, words,
sentences etc.
CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN LANGUAGE
 Arbitratiness : No natural or direct connection
between form of word & the meaning it
represents.
Jhad (Marathi)

Ped (Hindi)

Tree (English)

 Displacement : Enables to use language, where


the context referred is not present. Can talk in
past, present & future; or real & imaginary thing.
CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN LANGUAGE
 Cultural transmission : Language is passed
from one generation to other.
 A child born to hindi speaking parents, but
brought up in England will speak – English.
Language is learnt through social context.

 Reflexivity : Language expresses our ideas,


thoughts, desires etc. – our reflections.

 Recursion : Sentences inside sentences might be


there. “This is the man who caught the thief who
stole the jewelry, which was in bank.”
FUNCTIONS OF LANGUAGE
 Communicate Our Ideas
 Social Interactions

 Emotional Expressions

 Instrument of Thought

 Expression of Identity

 Recording the Facts

 The Control of Reality


DEVELOPMENT FUNCTION OF LANGUAGE
FOR A CHILD

 Instrumental : to express material needs


‘more water’, ‘want ball’ etc.
 Regulatory : to control behaviour of others

‘lift me up’, ‘go home now’ etc.


 Heuristic : to explore their environment

‘What’s that?’, ‘Why?’ etc.


 Informative : to inform incidents

‘car broke’, ‘saw cow’, ‘uncle coming’ etc.


 Imaginative : pretend play or role play

‘doctor doctor’, ‘doll’s marriage’, ‘police – thief’ etc.


COMPETENCE & PERFORMANCE
 Competence : a person’s knowledge of the rules of
a language
 Performance : his actual use of that language in
real situations
DEEP & SURFACE STRUCTURE
 The shark was anxious to eat.
 The shark was delicious to eat.

 John is eager to please.


 John is easy to please.

 At surface level, the sentences look alike; but on


a deep level the sentences differ from each other.
 Deep structure is converted into surface
structure with help of transformations.

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy