LI NG 1 1 1 , CLASS 2

EZRA KESHET
What is Language?
Part One
Definition


language, n. (and int.)
Pronunciation: Brit. /lagwd/,
U.S. /lgwd/


1. a. The system of spoken or written communication used by a particular country, people, community, etc.,
typically consisting of words used within a regular grammatical and syntactic structure. Also fig.Freq.
preceded by an adjective designating a particular language, as English language, French language, etc.
c13002002
b. The vocal sounds by which mammals and birds communicate; (in extended use) any other signals used by
animals to communicate. ape, horse language, etc.: see the first element. c13502000
c. A means of communicating other than by the use of words, as gesture, facial expression, etc.; non-verbal
communication. body, code, finger, picture, sign language, etc.: see the first element. 16051989
d. Computing. Any of numerous systems of precisely defined symbols and rules devised for writing programs
or representing instructions and data that can be processed and executed by a computer. 19472005
2. a. The form of words in which something is communicated; manner or style of expression.Freq. in bad
language: coarse or offensive expressions; strong language: forceful or offensive language, esp. used as
an expression of anger or strong feeling. c13502002
b. The vocabulary or phraseology of a particular sphere, discipline, profession, social group, etc.; jargon.See
also hawking, hunting, law, water language, etc., at the first element. 15022001
c. The style of a literary composition; (also) the wording of a document, statute, etc. 16992003
d. A style or method of expression in a non-verbal medium such as music, dance, etc. c18082007
e. colloq. Also int., indicating that the speaker should desist from using such language. 18601995
3. a. A community of people speaking a common language (sense 1a) or tongue; a nation. Now arch. (only in
biblical use). c13841952
b. A national division or branch of a military and religious order, as the Hospitallers, etc. 17031949
4. Power or faculty of speech; (also) ability to speak a foreign tongue. Now rare. a13931907
a. That which is said; talk, report, rumour; esp. words expressive of censure or disapproval. to say
language against: to talk against, speak of disapprovingly or critically. Obs. 14231709
b. The act of speaking or talking; the use of speech. Obs.by language: so to speak. in language with: in
conversation with.without language: without speaking at length. ?c14501568
6. The method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a
structured and conventional way; (also) words. See also METALANGUAGE n., PARALANGUAGE n. a15252001
Oxford English Dictionary
Narrowing the Definition

1. a. The system of spoken or written communication
used by a particular country, people, community,
etc., typically consisting of words used within
a regular grammatical and syntactic structure.
Like these?
system of spoken or written communication
Narrowing the Definition

1. a. The system of spoken or written communication
used by a particular country, people, community,
etc., typically consisting of words used within
a regular grammatical and syntactic structure.
Like these?
used by a particular country, people, community,
Narrowing the Definition

1. a. The system of spoken or written communication
used by a particular country, people, community,
etc., typically consisting of words used within
a regular grammatical and syntactic structure.
Like these?
consisting of words
Narrowing the Definition

1. a. The system of spoken or written communication
used by a particular country, people, community,
etc., typically consisting of words used within
a regular grammatical and syntactic structure.
Like these?
a regular grammatical and syntactic structure.
Lets Start Over
Narrowing the Definition Further
1. a. The system of spoken or written communication
used by a particular country, people, community,
etc., typically consisting of words used within
a regular grammatical and syntactic structure.

Narrowing the Definition Further
1. a'. The system of spoken or written communication
used by a particular country, people, community, etc.
person, typically consisting of words used within a
regular grammatical and syntactic structure.

i.e., language is part of a persons biology.

Organism 1
Knows Portuguese
Knows English
Knows Spanish
and a little German.
Organism 2

Knows English
Language in the Brain
Linguistics take language to be a property of an
organisms mind/brain.
But how can we study something inside a brain?
For now, we can only do so indirectly:
Input
Output
Language
WE CAN T SEE LANGUAGE!
But is this Science?
Can you see Gravity?
No but you can see apples!
Linguistics is the same:
Observe the world and find patterns
Develop models to account for
these patterns
Test your models
Linguistics as Science
The phenomena that linguists observe and study are
instances of language use:
Phonologists study the sounds of language.
Syntacticians study the structure of words and phrases.
Semanticists study the meaning of utterances.
Just as in other sciences, various models are
proposed to capture these observations.
Then, the models are tested against further
observations and refined as necessary.
PROPERTI ES OF ALL, SOME, AND ONLY
HUMAN COMMUNI CATI ON SYSTEMS
Communication Systems
Properties of All
Communication Systems
1. Mode of Communication
All communication systems have some means of
transmission:
Visual


Auditory


Chemical
2. Semanticity
All communications systems convey meaning:
3. Pragmatic Function
All communication systems serve some useful
purpose:
Properties of Some
Communication Systems
4. Interchangeability
Users of some communication systems can both send
and receive messages.
5. Cultural Transmission
Some communication systems can only be learned
from other users of the system.
6. Arbitrariness
Some communication systems have no direct, logical
connection between the signal and the message
conveyed:
hond dog inu
kalbun canis
perro kelev
kuri ntswa
29
7. Discreteness
Some communication systems consist of smaller
parts that are combined to form a whole i.e., they
are compositional:



When you know the notes to
sing you can sing most
anything!
Pick one from each column
The cat licks my foot
Your father sleeps on the car
Barack Obama plays with the freedom bell
Properties of Human
Communication Systems (Only?)
8. Displacement
Only human language has temporal and spatial
displacement.
That is, the ability to talk about things that are not
present, times other than the present:
9. Productivity
Only human language has the ability to produce and
understand any number of messages that have never
been expressed before to express novel ideas.
Thus human language can convey an infinite number
of messages:
This is the house that Jack built.
This is the cheese that lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the dog that chased the cat that killed the rat that the
ate cheese that lay in the house that Jack built.
.


Interactive Question
(see Piazza)
Summary
All communication systems
1. Mode of communication
2. Semanticity
3. Pragmatic function
Some, though not all
4. Interchangeability
5. Cultural transmission
6. Arbitrariness
7. Discreteness
Only (?) human language
8. Displacement
9. Productivity