Notes (Berndsen)

What is Language? - Overview

• Introduction:
  • What is language?
  • What is linguistics?
  • Our everyday use of Language
  • Linguistic Knowledge
  • Analysis
  • Production
• Student Report (Fromkin & Rodman, Ch.1)
• Exercises
• Group Discussion

What is Language?

Some Definitions (taken from Lyons, 1981:3ff):

• ``Language is a purely human and non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotions and desires by means of voluntarily produced symbols.'' (Sapir, 1921:8)
• ``A language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols by means of which a social group co-operates.'' (Bloch & Trager, 1942:5)
• ``From now on I will consider language to be a set (finite or infinite) of sentences , each finite in length and constructed out of a finite set of elements.'' (Chomsky, 1957:13)

What is Linguistics?

Akmajian et. al (1990: 5f):

• ``The field as a whole represents an attempt to break down the broad questions about the nature of language and communication into smaller, more manageable questions that we can hope to answer, and in doing so establish reasonable results that we can build on in moving closer to the larger questions.''

Akmajian et al. (1990: 9f):

• ``Perhaps the most important fundamental assumption is that human language at all levels is rule- (or principle-) governed. Every known language has systematic rules governing pronunciation, word formation, and grammatical construction. Further, the way in which language meanings are associated with phrases of a language is characterized by regular rules. Finally, the use of language to communicate is governed by important generalizations that can be expressed in rules.''

Analysis

Sentences, Words, Syllables,...

• EinststrittensichNordwindundSonnewervonihnenbeid
  enwohlderstärkerewäre

• Themoreitsnowstiddelypomthemoreitgoestiddely
  pomthemoreitgoestiddelypomonsnowing

• solchenphonologischenanalysenistvorzugzugebende
  renphonologischeregelnnatürlichephonetischeprozes
  serepräsentieren

• tietojenkäsittelyoppi

• dassindbekanntefischerzeugnisse

• denbauerkennen

• chbimmim

Words and Syllables

German examples:

• Frankfurt
• Hammer
• neblig

• Münsterländer
• Hinsterbender
• Enterbender
• Benebelter

• A l p e n o s t r a n d

• Brickuhr
• Bnrokuhr

Sound Distinctions

In German:

• geben leben heben

In English:

• cat fat pat rat mat sat
• limb hymn rim

• greet greed

• grey tail great ale

Pronunciation vs. Spelling

English examples:

• comb

George Bernard Shaw: ghoti

• gh as in cough
• o as in women
• ti as in nation

• seperate separate
• algorithim algorithm

• quick kwik
• clean kleen

Exercises from Fromkin & Rodman Ch.1

1. (F&R:Q1) An English speaker's knowledge includes the sound sequences of the language. When new products are put on the market, the manufacturers have to think up new names for them that conform to the allowable sound patterns. Suppose you were hired by a manufacturer of soap products to name five new products. What names might you come up with?
2. (F&R:Q3) It was pointed out in this chapter that a small set of words in languages may be onomatopoeic; that is, their sounds ``imitate'' what they refer to. Ding-ding, tick-tock, bang, zing, swish and plop are such words in English. Construct a list of ten new words. Test them on at least five friends to see if they are truely ``nonarbitrary'' as to sound and meaning.

3. (F&R:Q2) Consider the following sentences. Put a star (*) after those that do not seem to conform to the rules of your grammar, that are ungrammatical for you. State, if you can, why you think the sentence is ungrammatical.
   1. Robin forced the sheriff go.
   2. Napoleon forced Josephine to go.
   3. The Devil made Faust go.
   4. He passed by a large sum of money.
   5. He came by a large sum of money.
   6. Did in a corner little Jack Horner sit?
   7. Elizabeth is resembled by Charles.
   8. Nancy is eager to please.
   9. It is easy to frighten Emily.
   10. It is eager to love a kitten.
   11. That birds can fly amazes.
   12. The fact that you are late to class is surprising.
   13. Has the nurse slept the baby yet?
   14. I was surprised for you to get married.
   15. I wonder who and Mary went swimming.
   16. Myself bit John.

Student Group Report

Student Group Report: Kristina Gotthardt and Meike Sieker