The properties of language

1. The properties of language Lec.2

2. Unique Properties • There are a number of unique properties found in human languages.

3. Communicative vs. Informative • Communicative signals are intentional • e.g. I’m sick today • Informative signals are not intentional • E.g. red nose, sneezing, runny nose, etc.

4. 1. Displacement • The ability to speak about things other than here and now. • Displacement is the most momentous between human language & the signaling system of all other species. • We can refer to mythical creature, fairies, angles, & create fiction (Avatar)

5. 1. Displacement Human Language Animal Communication System • Humans can refer to: • past, the future, as well as to locations. • hypothetical or counterfactual states of affairs • E.g. dreams, childhood, dinosaurs • Animals lack this property. • Exception: the bee dance

6. 2. Arbitrariness • The absence of any necessary connection between a linguistic form (a word) and its meaning. • Le chat = cat = قطة • Arbitrariness is pervasive in human languages. • The particular sequence of sounds selected in a given language is completely arbitrary. • Due to this feature, even the most powerful computer program can have no way of guessing the meaning of a word it has not encountered before.

7. 2. Arbitrariness Human Language Animal Communication System • Every word (form) denotes an a concept or an object. • each word is formed according to the phonological system of the language. • The particular sequence of sounds selected in a given language is completely arbitrary. • There appear s to be a clear connection between the message and the signal used to convey it. • the set of signals is finite

8. 3. Productivity/ Creativity • Productivity is reflected in our creative ability to (1) combine words to form phrases, and phrases to form sentences, and (2) to produce new sentences never spoken before & understand sentences never heard before. • Productivity makes language extremely flexible & limitless

9. 3. Productivity Human Language Animal Communication System • All human languages make use of a finite set of discrete sound and letters to form infinite set of sentences and structures • Animals have a fixed set of signal (fixed reference), each related to a particular object or occasion. • 1 signal = 1 message

10. 4. Discreteness • The sounds that are used in language are meaningfully distinct. • Each sound in the language system is treated as a linguistically specific & discrete sound. • E.g. // & // • // & //

11. 5. Cultural Transmission • Human language is passed down from one generation to another regardless of ethnic issues.

12. 6. Duality • Language is organized at two levels or layers simultaneously • A small number of meaningless units are combined to produce a large number of meaningful units. • It is one of the most economical features of human language.

13. 6. Duality Human Language Animal Communication System Layer 1 • Finite / fixed set • individual phonemes – • meaningless Layer 2 infinite / open-ended • Phoneme combination • no. of phonemes = 44/45 • no. of messages ≠ 45 One layer ONLY • The no. of signals corresponds to the no. of messages. • 20 vocal signals = 20 messages

14. Other properties • Vocal-auditory channel • Reciprocity • Specialization • Non-directionality • Rapid fade

15. References • Yule, George. (1996). The Study of Language. Mass.: Cambridge UP • Chapter: (3) pp. 19-29