PHONOLOGY

 What is linguistics?
It is usually defined as the
“scientific study of language”.
The above mentioned definition
raises two further questions: (1)
what do we mean by “scientific”?
and what do we mean by
“language”?
Scientific is the attempt to study
language in much the same way as a
scientist studies physics or chemistry,
that is systematically.
Itmeans observing language use,
forming hypothesis about it, testing
these hypothesis and then refining
them on the basis of the evidence
collected.
A. Attributive adjectives
 a dead tree
 a good man
If against the hypothesis, we would find following
sentences:
B. Predicative adjectives
 The man is good.
 The tree is dead.
C. With regards to English, we might make a
hypothesis that adjectives always precede nouns. In
support of this hypothesis, we could produce the
following:
Each language is both arbitrary and
systematic, that means that no two
languages behave in exactly the same
way yet each language has its own set
of rules.
There is no primitive of inferior
languages.
Alllanguages appear to be equally
complex and absolutely adequate to the
needs of their users.
 Language is characterized by:

 1. flexibility
 2. complexity
 3. Precision
 4. Productivity
 5. Quantity
A language is an abstraction based on
the linguistic behavior of its users.
No speaker has total mastery of the
entire system and every speaker is
capable of using the language
inadequately through illness,
tiredness or inattention.
All normal children of all races
learn to the speak the
language of their community,
and speech has been seen as
the primary medium of
language.
1.Writing is a relatively recent
development in human
societies.
2. Thousands of speech
communicates rely solely on
speech
3. All of us speak a great deal
more than we write.
 4.Although we acquire speech
without conscious effort,
learning to read and write is
usually less spontaneous and
less automatic.
 Speech
and writing are not in
competition. They are
complementary and both are
necessary in a technologically
advanced society.
 The diagram shows that
although speech and writing
are in theory distinct, they can
and do influence each other.
 Example is, pronunciation is
often affected by spelling.
 SPEECH WRITING
Composed of sounds Composed of letters/signs
Makes use of intonation, Makes use of punctuation &
pitch, rhythm, tempo other graphological devices
Produced effortlessly-no Produced with effort-tools
tools required required
Transitory Relatively permanent
Perceived by the ear Perceived by the eye
Addressee present Addressee absent
Immediate feedback Feedback delayed
Meaning helped by context, Meaning must be made clear
body movement, gestures within the context
Spontaneous Not spontaneous
Associative logical
 Speech and writing are very different mediums.
 They can function independently of each other.
 We do not speak language in order to write and
to read.
 It is not the ability to speak a language that
gives a person automatic access to writing.
 Yet there are links between the mediums.
 As far as English is concerned there is a rough
equivalence between sound and letters.
 To have mastery of a language,
therefore, means being able to
produce an infinite number of
language patterns which are
comprehensible to other users of the
language,
 being able to decipher the infinity of
language patterns produced by other
users of language.
 Itis thus a two-way process
involving both production and
reception.
 It
involves associating sounds with
meaning and meaning with sounds.
 Components of the language
 phonology --sounds
 morphology -- meaningful combinations of
words
 lexis -- words
 syntax-- meaningful combination of words

 semantics -- meaning
 When we have examined these
levels and the way they
interact, we will have acquired
the necessary tools to study
languages in general called
(linguistics)
 thevariety in language and the
uses to which people put
languages (sociolinguistic)
 theways in which people teach
and learn language (applied
linguistic)
 and
the value of the study of
language in understanding the
human mind (psycholinguistics).
 Give at least five characteristics
of language.
 Whydo we find it difficult to master
any second language?
 Humancommunication differs
from animal communication in
degree and essence.
 Give
at least three importance of
communication.
 Language
is a set of signals by which we
communicate.
Language seems to be as old as our
species.
 Human languages do differ in essence and
degree from animal communication.
 Human language is not only a vocal system
of communication. It can be expressed in
writing with the result that is not limited in
time or space.