ENGL 111 LESSON 1-2 powerpoint presentation

OBJECTIVES
 discuss the scientific study of language in relevance to
language teaching, learning, and benefits to community
and society;
 differentiate the views on language study in order to
explain further possible language origins and language
teaching methods;
 explain the theories of language;
 identify the different communicative competence

LINGUISTICS AS THE SCIENCE
OF LANGUAGE

LINGUISTICS
 Linguistics is defined as the scientific
study of human natural language,
involving the study of nature, structure
and variation in language.

LINGUISTICS
 The term ‘science’ is used to define definition of general
linguistics
 Linguistic study is carried out in systematic order
 Language study proceeds by methods which can be
publicly communicated, described and justified by
reference to stable principles and capable formed theory
 Sole purpose in this study is analysis of materials ,
making summarized general statements and relating
rules and regularities of infinite varieties of language

SCIENCE
 Science is knowledge, as of facts or
principles, knowledge gained by
systematic study

Scientific Approaches in Linguistics
1. OBJECTIVITY
2. EMPIRICISM
3. RATIONALISM

OBJECTIVITY
 Objectivity means judgement based on observable
phenomena and uninfluenced by emotions or personal
prejudices
 For a linguist there is no primitive, pure, beautiful,
cultural and sophisticated language
 Objective study of language is hindered by various
cultural, social and historical misconceptions about
certain languages

EMPIRICISM
 Theory, that all knowledge is based on experience
derived from the senses
 Empiricism in linguistics is empirical, it examines the
specific data and proceeds by variables and justifiable
 Relies on observation and experiments, uses formalized
principles and capable theory formulated, aims to
analyse data and make generalizations

RATIONALISM
 knowledge that is prior to experience and that arises
through reason
 emphasize the role that mind plays in the acquisition of
knowledge
 Noam Chomsky argues , unless one assumes that
certain linguistic structures, e.g., deep grammar, are
innate, the argument goes, it is impossible to explain
the apparent ease with which human beings learn
natural languages

Three Canons of Science in Linguistics
 Exhaustiveness
 Consistency
 Economy

Exhaustiveness
 Linguistics deals with all relevant data, i.e. it analyses all
the facts of languages that fall within its scope
studies systematically every linguistic element from all
angles.

Consistency
 allows no contradictory remarks or statements, requires
that all parts of analysis be consistent with the whole
 both motivates and constrains the process of analogical
learning in a usage- based grammar
 children learning a language, and speakers in general,
represent linguistic units in ways that maximize their
motivation and emphasize their commonalities

Economy
 repetition is not allowed either, and more economic
statements containing fewer concepts or symbols are
preferred
 Andre Martinet, studied and analysed the principle of
economy in linguistics, testing its manifold applications
in both phonology and syntax.

DEFINITION OF LANGUAGE
ACCORDING TO LINGUISTS

 Edward Sapirwas an Americananthropologist-
linguist, who is widely considered to be one of
the most important figures in the development
of the discipline of linguistics in the United
States.
 Edward Sapir says: “Language is a purely
human and non-instinctive method of
communicating ideas emotions and desires by
means of voluntarily produced symbols”.

 Avram Noam Chomsky is an American
linguist, philosopher, historian and political
activist. Sometimes called "the father of modern
linguistics“.
 In the words of Chomsky: “language is a set of
(finite or infinite) sentences, each finite in
length and constructed out of a finite set of
elements.”

 R. A. Hall was an American Linguists.
 In the Words of Hall: “the institution
whereby humans communicate and interact
with each other by means of habitually used
oral-auditory arbitrary symbols”.

 Bernard Bloch and George L. Trager were the
American Linguists.
 In their Outline of Linguists Analysis Bloch
and Trager wrote: “ A language is a system of
arbitrary vocal symbols by means of which a
social group co-operates”.

 Leonard Bloomfield was an
Americanlinguistwho led the development
ofstructural linguisticsin the United States
during the 1930s and the 1940s.
 Bloomfield says: “the situation in which the
speaker utters it and the response which it
calls forth in the hearer.”

VIEWS AND OVERVIEW ON
THEORIES IN LANGUAGE
STUDY

Theories In Language Learning
 Behaviorist
 Innatist/Nativist
 Cognitivist
 Interactionist

Behaviorist
 B.F. Skinner / Burrhus Frederic Skinner proposed the
theory on Behaviorism
 A child learns the language by imitation, practice,
reinforcement, and habit formation.

Innatist/ Nativist
 The Nativist Theory is based on Noam Chomsky's
theory that the brain has a specialized device that does
the processing and utilization of language.
 This theory holds that children learn through their
natural ability to organize the laws of language, but
cannot fully utilize this talent without the presence of
other humans. (KENPRO, 2010)

Cognitivist
 The Cognitive Theory of language acquisition was first
made in the late 20th century, influenced by the
pioneering work of Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget.
 This theory emphasizes the role of cognitive processes
like memory, attention and problem-solving in language
learning journey.

Cognitivist
 In other words, it says that to speak a language you don’t
just need words and grammar; it also important to have
meaningful and engaging experiences.

Interactionist
 The Interactionist theory focuses on how parents
modify the way they communicate with their children
through simplification and annunciation (Schacter,
Gilbert, Wegner, & Nock, 2014).

Interactionist
 This theory pays more attention to the 'how' of language
development. The interactionist theory approaches
language development with the idea in mind that
language is developed through influences from both the
environment, biology, as well as the context in which
language is learned.

Communicative Competence
 It is the ability to achieve communicative goals in a
socially appropriate manner. It includes the following:
 Linguistic
 Sociolinguistic
 Discourse
 Strategic

Linguistic Competence
 Knowing how to use the grammar, syntax and
vocabulary of a language.
 “what words do I use?”, “How do I put them into
phrases and sentences?”

Sociolinguistic Competence
 Knowing how to use and respond to language
appropriately, given the setting, the topic and the
relationships among the people communicating.
 “which words and phrases fit this setting and this
topic?”
 “how can I express a specific attitude (courtesy,
friendliness, authority, respect) when I need to?”
 “how do I know what attitude another person is
expressing?”

Discourse Competence
 Knowing how to interpret the larger context and how to
construct longer stretches of language so that the parts
make up a coherent whole.
 “how are words, phrases and sentences put together to
create conversations, speeches, email, messages, new
papers, articles?”

Strategic Competence
 Knowing how to recognize and repair communication
breakdowns, how to work around gaps in one’s
knowledge on the language, and how to learn more
about the language in the context.
 “how do I know if I’ve misunderstood or when someone
has misunderstood me? What do I say then? How can I
express my ideas if I don’t know the name of something
or the right verb form to use?”

ENGL 111 LESSON 1-2 powerpoint presentation

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