I. Some interesting facts about language

1
Introduction

• I. Some interesting facts about language
• II. What is linguistics?
• III. Why study linguistics?
• IV. Emphasis on spoken language
• V. Basic attributes of language (1) (2)

2
Some Interesting Facts About Language

• Number of languages about 6,809 languages in the
  world, about 50 of theses are dying out
• Ten most widely speaking languages
• 1. Mandarin Chinese 2. Spanish 3. English 4.
  Bengali 5. Hindi/Urdu 6. Portuguese 7.
  Russian 8. Japanese 9. German 10.
  Chinese-Wu

3
What Is Linguistics?

• Definition
• the systematic scientific study of language
• Purpose to learn the different aspects of
  language
• How it is structured how we produce understand
  it in ongoing time how we learn it how it
  developed in humans how we use it every day
  what we use it for how it works in our minds and
  in society.
• Study range of linguistics
• 1. Phonology (Phonetics Phonemics)
• 2. Syntax (Morphology Grammar)
• 3. Semantics (Meaning)
• 4. Pragmatics (the interpretation in context)

4
Why Study Linguistics?

• To improve your English through study of subject
  in Eng.
• Exploiting a languages total resources to create
  literature
• To learn something about psychology
• Lang. is very important to everything you do.
• To examine your own belief about lang. in
  general, lang. in particular, and especially,
  speakers.
• To learn to observe analyze
• To improve language teaching learning

5
Emphasis on Spoken Language

• Speech comes early.
• Writing is not always present.
• Changes reflected slowly in writing.
• Similar writing system can be used for very
  different languages, or more than one system for
  one language.

6
Basic Attributes of Language (1)

• Language is random. (Nash 45)
• Arbitrariness (Yule 2122)
• Displacement (Yule 2021)
• Language is a body of (very productive and
  creative) knowledge. (Nash 3)
• Productivity (Yule 2223)
• Language is social and cultural. (Nash 56)
• Cultural transmission (Yule 24)
• Language has a series of levels, governed by
  rules. (Nash 34)
• Duality (or double articulation) (Yule
  25)
• Discreteness (Yule 24)
• Above six attributes can only be found in human
  language.

7
Basic Attributes of Language (2)

• Language uses sounds (Nash) Vocal-auditory
  channel (Yule)
• Reciprocity (Yule)
• Specialization (Yule)
• Non-directionality (Yule)
• Rapid fade (Yule)
• Language is communication (Nash)
• Language is human (Nash)
• Language is a system (Nash)
• Languages are more similar than they are
  different (Nash)
• Language changes (Nash)
• Language is accompanied by gestures (Nash)