Introduction of

Linguistics
By Mrs. Laila Khalil
 What is Language?
 Language is commonly defined (simply) as
“a means of communication”; but if it is
defined so, there will be no difference
between human communication and animal
communication.
 The reason is because, both animal and
human do have means to communicate
 What is Language?

 To be more scientific, a language can be defined

as:
 “An arbitrary system of
creative vocal symbols used as a
means of communication among
human beings.”
 Arbitrary?
 Let us see what is meant by arbitrary system,
vocal symbol, creative, and means of
communication as the characteristics or
properties of human language.
 A. Language is Arbitrary.

 A language is arbitrary because the relationship

between a vocal symbol (in form, in the sense of
linguistics) and the entity, state, event, or action
(meaning) of the vocal symbol cannot be proved
logically.
 Language

 For example, the question of: “why the

following entity is called “birds” in English”
and not “monkey “ or “money” for instance,
cannot be answered.
 B. Language is Vocal Symbols
 Considering a language as a construction of vocal symbols,
we actually want to distinguish oral from written language.

 A language is originally oral / spoken (vocal symbols). In

other words, we can say that spoken language is the origin
of a language.

 See this fact!!!

 Children grow up learning and speaking a language
(orally) before learning to write. Even in this modern age,
some people still cannot write but they can communicate
with a language
 B. Language is Vocal Symbols
 On the other hand, writing or written
language is the best thought of as a written
representation of a language.

 One of the differences (in characteristics)

between oral and written language is that
written language tends to be prescriptive
(what one thinks it/ the language ought to be)
but oral/ spoken language is not prescriptive
 C. Language is Creative
 No matter how well a dictionary of a language is designed and written,
it will never contain all possible sentences that a human being (the
speaker of a language) can make and use for communication.

 Once we speak a language (say, our mother tongue/ native language),

the components and rules of the language enables us to create infinite
number/ unlimited numbers of sentences. It enables us to put words
together to make phrases, put phrases together to make sentences, and
so forth.

 As illustration, the same word can be employed in so many different

infinite numbers of sentences, as exemplified with the following
phrases:
Construct sentences with the verb
“eat.”
 Construct sentences with the verb “eat.”

 1. I eat rice. You eat bread.

 2. The goats eat bread and cheese. (Have you ever created or
heard this possible sentence before?).

 3. They eat grass.

 4. I eat rice, you eat bread, the goats eat cheese, they eat
grass, …… eat ……, ….. eat ……. and so on.

 (How many times can you repeat the word “eat” in the last
sentence? How long can you make the sentence? The answer
is, It is infinite).
 Language is creative

 Indeed, we create and heard new sentences in our

language all the time in our everyday
communication. Even we may have created and
heard a sentence that had never been spoken or
heard before, but we did not realize it. This is
because a language is creative.
 D. Language is a Means of
Communication
 Language is only one among another means of
communication, but it is the most perfect means
of communication possessed by human beings.
 The use of a language as a means of
communication is what distinguishes animal
communication from the communication among
human beings.
 Language
 In most societies (or
cultures) there are fables,
legends, etc., where we
are told that animals do
play speaking role, not
only among themselves
but also with human
beings. But can the
fables, or legends provide
evidence that animals do
speak and have language?
 While human beings
communicate with
language; it is believed
that animals simply
communicate with their
instinct; but this belief
has not been proved
empirically
 Theory about Language

       Concerning the origin of the first language,

there are two main hypotheses, or beliefs. 
Neither can be proven or disproved given present
knowledge.
 Divine creation. 
 Natural evolution hypothesis (humans evolved
a language acquisition device)
 What is Linguistics
 Linguistics is the study of languages.

 The subject matter of linguistics is language.

 Traditionally, linguistics studies a language as a formal system

consisting of four main branches, known as “micro linguistics.”

 Besides, the linguistic studies which are supposed as the

interdisciplinary field of studies that identify, investigate and
offer solutions to language-related real life problems, called
“macro linguistics or applied linguistics,”
 There are also some other linguistic branches.
 Linguistics

Micro Linguistics Macro Linguistics Other Branches

Applied Linguistics

Phonology
Lexicology
Sociolinguistics

Morphology
Historical Linguistics
Psycholinguistics

Syntax
Neurolinguistics

Semantics
Antrophological Linguistics

Language Acquisition
We Will Discuss about:
 Micro Linguistics:  Macro Linguistics
 1. Phonology (speech  1. Sociolinguistics
sounds)  2. Psycholinguistics
 2. Morphology (words  Language Acquisition
and formations)
 Syntax (sentence
structure)
 Semantics (meaning)
 Language and Medium

 A language is described as an abstraction based

on the linguistic behavior of its users.
 All normal children of all races learn to speak the
language of their community, so speech has
often been seen as the primary medium of
language.
 Language and Medium

 The abstract system which is language can also

be realized as writing.

 However, although speech and writing have

much in common, they are not to be equated or
hierarchically ordered
Diagram of the correlation between
language and its mediums:

Language
(Abstraction)

Mediums (concrete)

Speech Writing
 Language and Medium

 The diagram indicates that, although speech and

writing are in theory distinct, they can and do
influence each other.
  A simple example of this is that
pronunciation is often affected by spelling.
 A word like ‘often’, for example, is frequently
pronounced with a [f] because of influence from
the written medium
The main Differences Between
speech and Writing
 Speech
1. Composed of sounds.
2. Make use of intonation, pitch.
3. Produced effortlessly – no tools.
4. Transitory/ temporarily.
5. Perceived by the ear.
6. Addressee present.
7. Immediately feedback.
8. Meaning helped by context,
body movement, gestures.
9. Spontaneous.
10. Directly Associative
 Writing
1. Composed of letters / signs.
2. Makes use of punctuation and other
rhythm, tempo. Grapho-logical
devices like italics, boldfaces,
underlines, and so on.
3. Produced with effort – tools required.
4. Perceived by the eye
5. Relatively permanent.
6. Addressee absent.
7. Feedback delayed.
8. Meaning must be made clear within
context.
9. Not spontaneous.
10. Indirectly Associative