Chapter one: languages ans linguistics
Learning points
This chapter deals with two most basic ideas of this field--- the subject of study,the languages, and the branch of the study,linguistics.
First, it's important to understand what language is , its design fratures, origin and functions. Then it's also important to understand what linguistics is, the branches of internal linguistics and external linguistics,as well as some major distinctions in linguistics.
Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. The five important points in this definition are :human , vocal, arbitrary, symbols ,system.
2) The design features of language
Design features refer to the defining properties of human language that tell the difference between human language and any system of animal communication. They are:
(1)    Arbitrariness: Arbitrariness is the core feature of language, which means that there is no logical connection between meanings and sounds. Arbitrariness is a matter of degree.
(2)    Duality: Duality of structure refers to the fact that in all languages so far investigated, one finds two levels lf structure or patterning. At the first, higher level, language is analyzed in terms of combinations of meaningful units (such as morphemes, words etc.);at the second ,lower level, it is seen as a sequence of segments which lack any meaning in themselves , but which combine to form units of meaning .
(3)    Productivity: Productivity refers to the ability to construct and understand an indefinitely large number of sentences in one’s native language, including those that one has never heard before. Productivity contributes to the duality and excursiveness of language.
(4)    Displacement: Displacement refers to the fact that one can talk about things that are not present , as easily as he does things present. In other words, one can refer to real and unreal things, things of the past, of the present, of the future. The feature of displacement enables people to abstract and generalize their ideas.
(5)    Cultural transmission: language is not biologically transmitted from generation to generation. The details of the linguistic system must be learned by each speaker.
(6)    Interchangeability: interchangeability means that any human being can be both a producer and a receiver of messages.
3) Origin of language
There are the bow-vow theory, pooh-pooh theory and “yo-he-ho” theory and so on  阅读全文>>