Lecture2- the nature of language

Lecture 2: Invitations to Linguistics

---The Nature of Language(2)

Wang Aihua

Main points: 1. Review the design feature of language 2. The origin of language 3. The functions of language

Review the four design feature of language 4 design features:

arbitrariness (任意性 )duality creativity (二重性 ) (创造性 )

displacement (移位性 )Charles Hockett 1916-2000

Origin of Language

WHERE

DOES language come from?

Origin of LanguageThis is a time-honored question. No definite agreement has been reached on this issue. But several hypotheses (speculations) have been proposed:① the divine gift theory ② The bow-wow theory (onomatopoeia) ③ The pooh-pooh theory (interjection) ④ The yo-he-ho theory (rhythmic chants)

In the beginning was the Word. and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”(Gospel, John 1:1)“And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one,

and they have all one language; and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do” -- (Genesis, Chapter 11:6)

The Tower of BabelBabel = bab+el, the gate of god; In Hebrew, balal = confusion'Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth’ ‘let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.’

Genesis 11:-1-9 Account

Origin of Language 2) The bow-wow theory (onomatopoeia)– In primitive times people imitated the sounds of the animal calls in the wild environment they lived and speech developed from that. – Onomatopoeic words seem to be a convenient evidence for this theory. But we can find they are very different in the degree of resemblance they express with the natural sounds. – This theory lacks supportive evidence.

Origin of Language 3) The pooh-pooh theory (interjection)– In the hard life of our primitive ancestors, they utter instinctive sounds of pain, anger and joy. As for evidence, we can only cite the universal use of sounds as interjections. – What makes the theory problematic is that there is only limited number of interjections in almost all languages. – Besides, interjections such as Oh, Ah, aiyo bear little relationship with the sound systems of a language and therefore are not good evidence.

Origin of Language 4) The “yo-he-ho” theory– As primitive people worked together, they produced some rhythmic grunts which gradually developed into chants and then into language. – We do have prosodic use of rhythms in languages, but rhythmic grunts are far different from language in its present sense. The theory is again at most a speculation.

The by-now fruitless search for the origin of languages reflects people's concern with the origin of humanity and may come up with enlightening findings in future. One thing we can say for certain is that language evolves within sp

ecific historical, social and cultural contexts.

Functions of Language

Functions of Language Examples I have got a knife. how are you? That’s fantastic! you are fired!

Linguists talk about the functions of language in an abstract sense, that is, not in terms of using language to chat, to think, to buy and sell, to read and write, to greet, praise and condemn people, etc. They summarize these practical functions and attempt some broad classifications of the basic functions of language.

Functions of Language (Jakobson, 1960)Jakobson’s framework (p9)– Six factors in speech event Addresser, addressee, context, code, contact, message – Six corresponding functions emotive, conative, referential, metalingual, phatic, poetic

The factors of communication and the functions of lg poeticto indulge in language for its own sake

contextmessage

referenetialto convey message and information

addresser contact emotiveto express to clear attitudes, up intentions feelings and and emotions meanings

addressee conative phatic

code metalinguisticto establish communion with others

to persuade and influence others through commands and requests