1.1.

INTRODUCTION
 Oxford English Dictionary defines language
as “Words and the methods of combining
them for the expression of thoughts”
 According to Allen, “Language is a mean of
communicative thoughts.”
 According to H.A. Gleason, “Language is one
of the most important and characteristic
forms of human behavior.”
Language change trough time.
Sample of English from period to period.
Old English Nu Herigean Weard
Early Modern English Now praise guardian
Midle English Whan Aprille Shoures
Early Modern English when April Showers

Modern linguistics emerged in the late 19th

with the shift of focus from historical
concerns of changes in languages over time.
Ferdinand de Saussure's book has initiated
modern linguistics.
 1.3. CHARACTERIZATION OF LINGUISTICS
TODAY
• Linguistics is theoretical science.
Central purpose of this linguistics is the development of
theories on an aspects of language and a general theory of
language.
• Linguistic is descriptive science.
This linguistics study describes and analyzes the language
people actually use.
1.4. The view of Language in Modern Linguistics

Old School  Written form Language

Education

Modern School  Spoken form

 1.4.1. Language Varieties
Language varieties defined as a system of
language expression based on some external
factor, such as different situation, interest,
geographical, occupation or social class.

1. Dialect 2. Style 3. Register

Variety of language Style used for degree
of formality from Variety of language
that can signal the
‘high’ to ‘low’ on according to
speaker’s regional or
five-point scale differences in use
social background
(frozen, formal, e.g. medical term,
(Regional and Social
consultative, casual, journalist, science etc
Dialect)
intimate)
1.4.1. Language as a System or Structure
Language is regarded as a system of
elements or signs such as sound, word etc.
In the structure of language there are four
principles:  Phonology
 Morphology
 Syntagmatic
 Paradigmatic
 1.4.3. Langue and Parole
Langue Parole
• Language system/structure • Language in use (utterance)
• Code • Message
• Language • Verbal behavior
• Competence • Performance
• Form • Function
• Langue is social (Shared by • Parole is individual (In
all the speakers of language) speech or writing)
 1.5. Aspects of Language Study

Phonology Grammar Lexicology Semantics Discourse

Aspects of
Phonetics Morphology Study of language
Vocabulary
Phonology Syntax meaning beyond the
sentence
1. The detailed study of the different
branches of specialization, for example,
phonetics or syntax.
2. The study of language as a whole in order
to discover how the different parts of
language interact.
 BEFORE EXPLAINING SCHOOL OF THOUGHT, LET’S SEE SOME
PHENOMENA IN THE PAST.
For linguistic system builders:
1. Is language studied abstractly without taking into account the context, the topics and the
speakers/listeners?
2. How to relate different aspects of language (phonology, grammar, semantics, lexis, etc)?
 PROBLEMS IN TEACHING LANGUAGE CONTEXT:

1. Is language taught as formal system or broader?

2. Which aspect should be emphasized; grammar, words, meanings or the
sound system?
 1.7. SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT
Bloomfieldian American structuralism

- to delimit the role of

linguistics in relation to other
sciences,
- to develop the principles and
concepts of linguistics into
well balanced and unified
structure.
 NEO-FIRTHIAN THEORY

Unit Class

Structure System
 TRANSFORMATIONAL Noam Chomsky
GENERATIVE GRAMMAR

Surface Structure

Deep Structure
 VS.

TRANSFORMATIONAL
GENERATIVE GRAMMAR STRUCTURALISM

- common elements - differences between languages and the unique

- universals characteristics of each language.
- underlying all natural languages
 TOWARDS A MORE SEMANTICS AND MORE
SOCIAL VIEW OF LANGUAGE

Relate the study of language to The study of language cannot be

external reality and to the language studied anymore in isolation from the
users’ psychological situation. users and the context.