Introduction to Linguistics

MODULE 1: Introduction to Linguistics (1hr)

Specific Objectives

At the end of the unit students will be able to:

- Understand the nature of language

- Define Linguistics
- Understand the importance of studying Linguistics to their teaching
profession

Module orientation:

This module has one unit with three sections:

 An overview of language
 What is linguistics?
 The value of linguistics to the teacher

Introduction: An Overview of Language (20 minutes)

“To understand humanity, one must understand the nature of language that makes us
human.”

(Fromkin, Rodman, and Hyams 2007)

Before any discussion can begin about Linguistics, you should be able to have a
working definition of “language” since language is the primary field in which
linguistic work is conducted. What is language? Different persons have different
 Introduction to Linguistics

answers to this question. Some believe that animals possess language. Some talk
about computer language. Others see arts such as painting and dance to be forms
of language. Yet others believe that language is only spoken or written by human
beings. These questions invariably help to point to a definition of language.
Research in communication among animals, such as prairie dogs, chimpanzees
and dolphins, point out some interesting capabilities that these animals have in
solving problems, and in communicating through the use of symbols. For the
linguist, however, language is essentially a human ability. And there are very
good reasons why they believe so.

Human language is non-instinctive and involuntary, meaning that humans can

choose if, when, where and how to use language. Human language is also
creative, meaning that we can expand and change it all the time, and we can say
the same thing indifferent ways. The creative nature of language also includes the
fact that every time we use language, we are not speaking or writing in
memorized chunks, but we are creating the sentences and message afresh in our
brains. Because of language, we have the ability of displacement – that is, human
beings can remember the past and plan for the future. We can dream and we can
lie. Language is also open-ended and variable, meaning that it is continually
changing, and also that it varies from person to person, community to community
and place to place, and time to time – there is no one fixed language at any point
in time. But language is not random. It is structured and rule-governed, and it is
also systemic, meaning that it is made up of a number of systems, such as the
lexical system and the grammatical system among others which will be explored
later.

Animals possess the ability to communicate, but their systems of communication

do not allow them to do all these things. Animals only respond to stimuli.

Painting, dance, music and the other arts, fashion, etc. are not language but are
ways of communicating ideas and feelings.
 Introduction to Linguistics

The aforementioned discussion indicates that construction of a definition of

language has to include several elements. Language is a very rich and complex

phenomenon. We can conclude that language is a structured

system that is limited to humans who use it to communicate
with each other.

Language is spoken, written, and signed (as in the case of American Sign
Language - ASL). All (human) languages contain discrete items (sounds and
gestures/signs) that are combined to form meanings. Language contains universal
elements (like nouns, verbs, etc.) that are found in all languages. Speech is the
primary vehicle of language because we acquire it naturally, and long before we
learn how to write. In fact, many persons do quite well without being able to
write, and they can conduct their lives through speech alone.

Language is naturally acquired by all humans - even by those who are born mute.

1. What is the primary field in which linguistic work is conducted?

Language

2. How do different individuals define language?

Different persons have different answers to this question. Some

believe that animals possess language. Some talk about computer
language. Others see arts such as painting and dance to be forms of language.
Yet others believe that language is only spoken or written by human beings.

3. What are some interesting capabilities in communication observed

among animals? in communicating through the use of symbols.

4. Why do linguists believe that language is primarily a human

ability?

A.non-instinctive and involuntary, meaning that humans can choose

if, when, where and how to use language
 Introduction to Linguistics

b. Human language is also creative, meaning that we can expand and change it all
the time, and we can say the same thing indifferent ways.

c. ability of displacement – that is, human beings can remember the past and plan
for the future.

d. Language is also open-ended and variable, meaning that it is continually

changing, and also that it varies from person to person, community to community
and place to place, and time to time – there is no one fixed language at any point
in time.

e. But language is not random. It is structured and rule-governed, and it is also

systemic, meaning that it is made up of a number of systems, such as the lexical
system and the grammatical system among others which will be explored later.

5. What are the characteristics of human language that distinguish it from animal
communication?

Animals only respond to stimuli.

Painting, dance, music and the other arts, fashion, etc. are not language but are
ways of communicating ideas and feelings.

We can conclude that language is a structured system that is

limited to humans who use it to communicate with each
other.

6. How does language enable humans to remember the past and plan for the future?

the ability of displacement – that is, human beings can remember the past and
plan for the future. We can dream and we can lie.

7. In what ways does language exhibit variability and openness?

8. How is language structured and rule-governed?

Language is spoken, written, and signed (as in the case of American Sign
Language - ASL).
 Introduction to Linguistics

Language contains universal elements (like nouns, verbs, etc.) that are found in all
languages.

9. What distinguishes language from other forms of communication, such as painting

and dance? is a structured system that is limited to humans who

use it to communicate with each other.

10. What are the key elements that should be included in a definition of language?

.Language contains universal elements (like nouns, verbs, etc.)

11. Is language limited to spoken form, or does it also include writing and signing?

Language is spoken, written, and signed

12. What are some universal elements found in all languages?

Language contains universal elements (like nouns, verbs, etc.) parts of speech

13. Why is speech considered the primary vehicle of language?

Speech is the primary vehicle of language because we acquire it naturally, and

long before we learn how to write.

14. How do humans naturally acquire language, even without the ability to write?

through interaction - not only with their parents and other

adults, but also with other children. All normal children who
grow up in normal households, surrounded by
conversation, will acquire the language that is being used
around them
15. Can individuals lead functional lives with speech alone, without the ability to write?

yes
 Introduction to Linguistics

What is Linguistics? (20 minutes)

Linguistics is the scientific study of language. It is a science and not considered as an Arts
subject primarily because it involves scientific exploration and methodologies. This means that
linguists work by examining data and actual use of language, they construct and test hypotheses
about aspects of language, they investigate the actuality of language in its many forms and
usages, and they employ methodologies and procedures of analysing data. While Linguists start
out with ideas about language and its use, they seek to test their ideas against real data, and to
find evidence to support or disconfirm their ideas. They try to understand the reasons why
languages have their particular character, why there are variations in a language, why language is
used in particular ways in particular societies, and so on.

For the linguist, there is no “good” or “bad” language. These are social judgments, and are
rooted in social prejudice. The linguist considers all languages to be equally good means of
communicating what members of particular societies wish to communicate.

1. What distinguishes linguistics as a scientific study from an arts subject?

because it involves scientific exploration and methodologies.

2. How do linguists approach the study of language?

lin guist s wor k by exa m in in g da t a a n d a ct ua l u se of la n gu a ge, t hey con st r u ct a n d
t est h ypot h eses a bou t a spect s of la n gu a ge, t h ey in vest iga t e t h e a ct u a lit y of
la n gu a ge in it s m a ny for m s a n d u sa ges, a n d t h ey em ploy m et h odologies a n d
pr ocedu r es of a n a lysin g da t a .

3. What are the main activities involved in linguistic research?

a.examining data
b. construct and test hypotheses about aspects of language
c. investigate the actuality of language in its many forms and usages, and they employ
methodologies and procedures of analysing data.
Many academic linguists do research on sound structure, grammar and meaning,
language acquisition, language use or the history and structure of a particular
language.
4. How do linguists analyze and interpret language data?
they seek to test their ideas against real data, and to find evidence to support or disconfirm their
ideas.
 Introduction to Linguistics

The goal of Linguistic analysis is to understand the content of the text. Statistical methods are
used to find the most probable meaning of the text. A grapheme is a letter or a sequence of
letters that represent a sound (i.e., phoneme) in a word. Phonetic analysis converts graphemes
into phonemes.

4. What is the role of evidence in the work of linguists?

to support or disconfirm their ideas.

6. What aspects of language do linguists seek to understand?

construct and test hypotheses

7. Why do languages have different characteristics and variations?

One of the most significant social factors that influence

language variation and varieties is geography. Different regions have
different languages, dialects, and accents. For example, in the United
States, the English language has many variations, such as the
Southern accent, Midwest accent, and New York accent.
8. How does language usage vary across different societies?

Since language is a tool for its speakers, how the culture functions is
represented in the language. Politics, technology, and social morals all
factor into how language is used. An example of this can be seen in
the rule for French speakers that demands different forms of the same
word based on gender.
9. What is the linguist's perspective on the concept of "good" or "bad" language?
, there is no “good” or “bad” language

10. How does social prejudice influence judgments about language quality?
For the linguist, there is no “good” or “bad” language. These are social judgments, and are
rooted in social prejudice

In this regard there is an important point to make about linguists. Linguistics, as it is presented in
this course, is largely descriptive in nature and not prescriptive. In other words, the role of a
 Introduction to Linguistics

linguist is different from the prescriptive role of a language teacher whose role is to enable
students to use a certain language correctly. Linguists do not necessarily know large amounts of
languages and are not required to be fluent in several languages (such persons are really
polyglots, not linguists). They are versed in linguistic analyses involving the linguistic principles
which are present in all languages. Linguists try to understand the rules by which a particular
language or any language at all, works.

1. What is the nature of linguistics as presented in this course?

is largely descriptive in nature and not prescriptive

2. How does the role of a linguist differ from that of a language teacher?

language teacher whose role is to enable students to use a certain language correctly.

They are versed in linguistic analyses involving the linguistic principles which are present in
all languages. Linguists try to understand the rules by which a particular language or any
language at all, works.

3. What is the main focus of linguists in their analyses?

in linguistic analyses involving the linguistic principles which are present in all languages

4. Are linguists required to be fluent in multiple languages?

No

5. What do linguists seek to understand about languages?

the structure of language, language acquisition and learning, and

the relationship between language and culture.
Linguists try to understand the rules by which a particular language or any language at all,
works
 Introduction to Linguistics

6. In what way are linguistics and language teaching distinct from each

other?

language teacher whose role is to enable students to use a certain language correctly.

Linguists try to understand the rules by which a particular language or any language at all, works

6. What are the linguistic principles that are present in all languages?

Linguistic refers to insights about language and when these insights are used to
language teaching, it becomes linguistic principles.

8. Can one be considered a linguist without knowing multiple languages? yes

9. How do linguists approach the study of a particular language?

 Introduction to Linguistics

Linguists try to understand the rules by which a particular language or any language at all,
works.

10. What distinguishes linguists from polyglots in terms of their language

proficiency? Linguists do not necessarily know large amounts of languages and are not
required to be fluent in several languages (such persons are really polyglots, not linguists).

Since language is part of everything that humans do, it is not surprising that Linguistics has
several sub-fields. These sub-fields are branches of Linguistics and can be categorized as
follows:

Structural Linguistics examines the components of a language (sounds, sentences, word-

formation, and meanings); Psycho-linguistics is the study of how the mind creates language;
Sociolinguistics involves studying how society (and social factors) influences language; Applied
Linguistics is the application of Linguistics to practical fields such as language-teaching,
translation, speech therapy, speech-language pathology, and forensic linguistics; and
Anthropological Linguistics explores how culture and language integrate. This course will
incorporate a little bit of each sub-field.

The value of linguistics to the teacher (15 minutes)

Perhaps the most important value of Linguistics to the teacher is that it increases his or her
awareness about language. Language is central to all things that humans do, but we pay little
attention to it. Linguists make us aware of the richness of language and its importance in human
life.

Linguistics has many benefits to a teacher, especially a language teacher. However, all teachers
will appreciate a different insight into language use, especially as it relates to their students’ use
 Introduction to Linguistics

of language in the classroom. As mentioned earlier, Linguistics is the scientific study of language
and thus the contents of this course are designed in such a way to enable holistic interaction with
introductory linguistic concepts including language acquisition, social factors influencing
language, sound distribution and word-structure, language and the cognition, and language
rights.

A teacher trained in Linguistics is more acutely aware of rules influencing his/her students’
language use. Such a teacher is better able to understand the underlying rules that shape a
language’s grammar. For example, the most common way of marking English past-tense is to
add an “-ed” to the verb. However, you will realise that “-ed” has three different sounds: [d] in
“called” and “played”, [t] in “cooked” and “talked”, and [ɪd] “hunted” and “created”. There are
linguistic rules governing the different pronunciations of the past-tense marker “-ed” as you will
discover and learn more about in the Phonetics and Phonology modules.

Knowledge of second-language learning theories, will help a teacher to understand the processes
of language acquisition (of especially students in nursery, primary and early secondary levels).
Sociolinguistic theories will enlighten him/her about and the reasons for language variation,
especially in Guyana’s multi-linguistic environment.

Importantly, the study of Linguistics will impact on a teacher’s philosophy of education and
teaching in a positive way that places more value on the students’ language needs. For example,
in Language-Arts subjects, the method of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is used,
and such a model is linguistically influenced.

A grammar teacher has a prescriptive approach since s/he aims to enable students to use a
language correctly. On the other hand, a Linguist has a largely descriptive approach since s/he is
more interested in the rules and reasons. A linguistically trained teacher is more conscious of the
variations in his/her students’ written and spoken language. This understanding aids
tremendously in respecting the language rights of each student, while at the same time helping
them to use language more proficiently.

In the case of the English-speaking Caribbean and Guyana, a linguistically trained teacher is
more cognizant of the reasons for English mistakes, and realizes that those mistakes may very
 Introduction to Linguistics

well be correct forms in a Creole language and not mistakes. S/he also understands the benefit of
learning English in Guyana as a second language both on the coastal region and in the interior
regions. Such a teacher is more acutely aware of the linguistic differences that are present around
him/her in the community and country at large; and those differences should be used to
embolden a sense of national identity rather than a tool of embarrassment. Teachers, therefore,
can and should help students to be more aware of their linguistic environment and the value of
their own language.

You can use such knowledge to become a linguist, and expand on your interests in the field by
pursuing a degree in Linguistics at a university here in Guyana and/or abroad. Essentially,
studying linguistics will enable you to become a better teacher because you will be able to value
students’ language and understand the underlying linguistic processes that are involved.

Summary (5 minutes)
Language is the structured system of communication that is limited to
humans.
It is a social construct that has spoken, written, and signed structure
along with meaning.
Linguistics is the scientific study of those structures present in language.
There are several branches of Linguistics.
Teachers will benefit from the study of Linguistics because it will aid them in understanding the
underlying rules that govern how their students use language in the classroom and community.

Teachers will and should understand and respect the linguistic differences that are
present among their students.