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What is language?

What is language?. What does this mean?. How do we distinguish between language and non language?. Language is rule governed Language is intended Language is creative and open ended. Language is rule governed. Examples of rules……….. Grammar

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What is language?

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  1. What is language? What does this mean?

  2. How do we distinguish between language and non language? • Language is rule governed • Language is intended • Language is creative and open ended

  3. Language is rule governed Examples of rules……….. • Grammar • Doesn’t matter what rules are so long as everyone follows them.

  4. Language is creative and open-ended • The rules of grammar and vocabulary allow us to make an almost infinite number of grammatically correct sentences • New words being invested all the time • Think of newly invented words ladettes text bumsters metrosexual

  5. The problem of meaning…. The montillation of traxoline It is very important that you learn about Traxoline. Traxoline is a new form of Zionter. It is montilled in Ceristanna. The Ceristannians gristerate large amounts of fevon and then bracter it into quasel traxoline. Traxoline may well be one of our most lukized snezlaus in the future because of our zionter lescelidge.

  6. The problem of meaning…. The montillation of traxoline It is very important that you learn about Traxoline. Traxoline is a new form of Zionter. It is montilled in Ceristanna. The Ceristannians gristerate large amounts of fevon and then bracter it into quasel traxoline. Traxoline may well be one of our most lukized snezlaus in the future because of our zionter lescelidge. • What is traxoline? • Where is traxoline montilled? • How is traxoline quaselled? • Why is it important to know about traxoline?

  7. You can answer the questions although you have no idea what the words mean!! • If you don’t know the meaning of key words in a sentence you will not understand it. • Traxoline is a new form of Zionter – do we know this is true? Important because you must know what a sentence means before you can decide whether or not it is true.

  8. Theories of Meaning

  9. Definition theory Define as precisely as you can the following 3 words i. Triangle ii. Table iii. Love

  10. Problems! • Only mathematical words can be definded precisely • Definitions depend on using other words! • In order to stop being trapped in an endless circle of words, language must surely connect with the world.

  11. Denotation theory • A meaningful words “stands” for something, whereas a meaningless word does not

  12. France

  13. Jabberwocky Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borograoves’ And the mome raths outgrabe.

  14. Problems • Can you think of words which would be difficult to define by finding something they “stand for”?

  15. Problems • Can you think of words which would be difficult to define by finding something they “stand for”? • Multiplication, freedom, wisdom?

  16. Problems! • Denotation theory does not work with abstract words • Even a word like “Einstein” cannot literally be Einstein because it would become meaningless when he died.

  17. Image Theory • The meaning of a word is the mental image it stands for

  18. Freedom

  19. Multiplication

  20. Red

  21. England

  22. Physics

  23. Love

  24. Problems! • We can never be sure that a person understands the meaning of a word the same we do if they may have a different “image” in their mind

  25. Meaning as know-how • You know the meaning of a word when you know how to use it correctly

  26. Problematic meaning

  27. 1. Vagueness Without thinking too much, write down a figure for the following; • John lives near school. How close does he live? • Janet is a heavy smoker. How many cigarettes a day does she smoke? • Mr Smith is middle- aged. How old is he? • Nafisha’s mother is rich. How much money does she have in the bank?

  28. Bald?

  29. 2. Ambiguity Flying planes can be dangerous

  30. Ambiguity They saw Mrs Jones and a dog sitting under a table

  31. Ambiguity Bob tickled the man with a feather duster

  32. Ambiguity Refuse to be put in the basket

  33. Ambiguity Mia wanted to hear Justin Bieber sing really badly

  34. Ambiguity Visiting relatives can be boring

  35. Ambiguity Many poor students are on scholarships

  36. Ambiguity • Michael ate bacon on the sofa

  37. Ambiguity As Imran came in to bowl I saw her duck

  38. Ambiguity I am opposed to taxes which damage incentives

  39. Context helps They saw Mrs Jones and a dog sitting under a table

  40. 3. Secondary meaning • Connotations and euphemisms

  41. First lady or “Presidential partner”?

  42. First man?

  43. Slender, skinny, thin

  44. Stubborn, steadfast, firm

  45. Praise, flatter, commend

  46. Energetic, spirited, frenzied

  47. Stench, smell, fragrance

  48. Think of as many different words as you can for; Vomit

  49. Think of as many different words as you can for; Drunk

  50. Think of as many different words as you can for; Stupid

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