Q.1 What is linguistics? Is linguistics a science? Explain.

The word linguistics has been derived from lingua (tongue) and istics (knowledge).Etymologically ,
therefore , linguistics is the scientific study of language.

But it is the study not of one particular language but of human language in general .It studies
language as a universal and recognizable part of human behavior .It attempts to describe and
analyze language.

Its aim is to seek a scientific understanding of the place of language in human life, the ways in which
it is organized to fulfill the needs it serves and the functions it performs.

So linguistics is the science which studies the origin, organization, nature and development of
language descriptively, historically , comparatively and explicitly , and formulates the general rules
related to language.

The linguist identifies and describes the units and patterns of the sound system , the words and
morphemes , and the phrases and sentences, that is the structure of language,as completely ,
accurately and economically as possible.

Linguistics is a science because –

1. Like all other sciences linguistics has a well-defined subject matter and natural languages.
2. It employs careful methods to observe, record and analyze the various phenomena related
to its subject matter.
3. It hopes to produce unprejudiced, objective and verifiable description.
4. A linguist has his language laboratory too.

Q.2 What are the linguistics levels explain with the help of diagram.

There are 4 levels in linguistics –

• Phonetics and phonology
• Morphology
• Syntax
• Semantics
There are two diagrams. Make from Ashwini’s copy.
Q.3 What are the concepts of linguistics?

 Ferdinand de Saussure is usually referred to as the father of modern linguistics

 There are many different schools of linguistics in the 20 th century ,but all of them seem to be
derived directly or indirectly from his Cours de Linguistics GENERAL.
 Cours is the starting point of modern linguistics.

 1. Descriptive and prescriptive grammars

 2. Synchronic and diachronic linguistics
 3. Langue and parole
 4. Competence and performance
 5. Syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations
 6. Functionalism and formalism

Q.4 Explain the difference between (a) langue and parole and (b) syntagmatic and paradigmatic.

 (1) Langue refers to the abstract linguistic system shared by all the members of a speech
community. Parole refers to particular realization of langue.
 (2) Langue is the social, conventional side of language, while parole is individualized speech.
 (3) Langue is the code, and parole is the massage.
(4) Parole is the concrete manifestation of language either through speech or writing.
Langue is the abstract knowledge.

Syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations (******)

 The former refers to the horizontal relationship between linguistic elements, which form
linear sequences.
 The later means the vertical relationship between forms, which might occupy the same
particular place in the structure.

  Syntagmatic relations are actually positional relations.
 That is, the sequential arrangement of smaller linguistic forms into larger linguistic forms,
e.g. the arrangement of words and phrases into sentences.
 Whereas, paradigmatic relations are relations of substitution.
 That is, linguistic forms can be substituted for each other in the same position in a word or
sentence.

Q.5 What is language? What are its chief characteristics? Discuss.

Language is defined as a system of conventional, spoken or written symbols by means of which

human beings, as members of a social group and participants in its culture and communicate.

Characteristics of language –
1. Language is verbal and vocal. Language is an organization of sounds and vocal symbols which
are produced from the mouth to convey some meaningful message .
2. Language is the most powerful, convenient and permanent means of communication.
3. Non-linguistics symbols such as expressive gestures, signals of various kinds ,traffic lights ,
road signs, flags ,emblems and more as well as shorthand ,other codes, symbols of
mathematics and logic are also means of communication , yet they are not so flexible,
comprehensive, perfect and extensive as language is.
4. Language is a social phenomenon. Language in this sense is a possession of social group, an
indispensable set of rules which permits its members to relate to each other. It is a social
institution. Language exists in society. It is a means of nourishing and developing culture and
establishing human relations. It can be regarded as a social event.
5. Language is non-instinctive and conventional. No language was created in a day out of a
mutually agreed upon formula by a group of humans .language is the gift of evolution and
convention. each generation transmits this convention on to the next. Animals do inherit
their system of communication by heredity, humans do not.
6. Language is arbitrary

Q.6 Distinguish b/w human and animal language.

Most animals have their inter and intra-species communication systems to communicate with one
another. They make instinctive noises.
Animal communication is devoid of the complexity, novelty, multiplicity and creativity of human
language.
The main differences b/w human and animal languages are –
 Human Animal

Unlimited and infinite Limited and finite

Open System Closed System

Creative Non creative

Modifiable Non modifiable

Acquired Inherited

Non instinctive Instinctive

Grammatical No grammar

Geographically conditioned No geographical dependence

Only Behavioural
Cognitive and behavioural
Descriptive and narrative Non descriptive and non narrative

Nonhuman communication systems are based on one of three designs –

1. A finite repertory of calls (one for warnings of predators, one for claims of territory, and so
on),
2. A continuous analog signal that registers the magnitude of some state (the livelier the
dance of the bee, the richer the food source that it is telling its hivemates about),
3. A series of random variations on a theme (a birdsong repeated with a new twist each time:
Charlie Parker with feathers).

Different role of brain in human and animal language –

1. The vocal calls of primates are controlled by phylogenetically older neural structures in the
brain stem and limbic systems, structures that are heavily involved in emotion while of
human are controlled by cerebal cortex

Different form of communications found in animals should not be vied as hierarchy but adaption
which were necessary to occupy different niche in evolution process.

e.g. Chimpanzees did not develop the language ability because they did not need to. Their lifestyles
did not require the ability while humans in their hunter gatherer stage were benefitted enormously
due to their ability of sharing language.

The most receptive trainee for an artificial language with a syntax and semantics has been a parrot