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Chapter 5

Chapter 5. Language . What is language? . Language Spoken or written primary form of communication Writing – 6,000 years old Transmitted through learning . What does it do for us? Conjure up elaborate images Discuss the past and the future Share experiences with others .

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Chapter 5

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  1. Chapter 5 Language

  2. What is language? • Language • Spoken or written primary form of communication • Writing – 6,000 years old • Transmitted through learning

  3. What does it do for us? • Conjure up elaborate images • Discuss the past and the future • Share experiences with others

  4. Linguistic Anthropology • Linguistic Anthropology • Comparison • Variation • Change • Discoveries about history • Linguistic differences – varied worldviews and patterns • Role of language in colonization and expansion • Sociolinguists • Dialects and style to reflect social differences

  5. Animal Communication • Only humans speak • Animals (monkeys and apes) • Call systems – limited number of sounds (calls) that are produced when particular environmental stimuli are encountered • Food and danger? One call • Cant combine calls

  6. Sign Language • Apes have used sign language • Washoe (1966) – surrounded by humans who only spoke sign language • “you, me, go out, hurry” • Lucy (1967) • Swearing, joking, telling lies • Killed by poachers after being released

  7. Cultural Transmission • Communication system through learning is a fundamental attribute of language • Washoe and Lucy tried to teach other chimps • Gorillas could also be used BUT were more dangerous • Koko learned 700 different signs • Productivity • Using the rules of language to produce entirely new expressions that are comprehensible for other native speakers

  8. Displacement • Humans can talk about things that are not present

  9. Origin of Language • Developed over hundreds of years • Call systems were transformed • Speak of things we have never experienced • Anticipate responses before we encounter stimuli

  10. Nonverbal Communication • Facial expressions, body language • Women and girls – look at each other directly • Males – more likely to look straight ahead especially when the other person is a male (male seated beside them) • In groups – women with women – relaxed • Women with men – stricter stance • Men – relaxed

  11. Kinesics – study of communication through body movements, stances, gestures, and facial expressions

  12. Linguistics • What is said • How it is said • Features that convey meaning • Gestures • Pitch

  13. The structure of language • Descriptive linguistics • Phonology – speech sounds • Morphology – the forms in which sounds combine (cats – cat-s) • Lexicon – dictionary containing all the morphemes and their meanings • Syntax – arrangement and order of words

  14. Speech Sounds • Foreigners • Phoneme – a sound contrast that’s makes a difference; differentiates meaning • Region Free Dialect – dialect of TV network newscasters Phonetics – study of speech sounds in general what people say in various languages Phonemics – significant sound contrasts EX: aspirate vs. spin - the “puff” of air

  15. Language, Thought and Culture • All languages have a common structural basis • Universal grammar • Different societies needed to learn how to communicate • Creole language • English, China, Papua New Guinea, West Africa

  16. The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis • Different cultures have different words (or lack of words) to describe • Differences between males and females • US – different levels of attention • Portuguese – no future events • Hopi – no difference • - no past, present, future

  17. Focal Vocabulary – specialized set of terms and distinctions that are important to certain groups • EX: Hockey • Puck – biscuit • Goal/net – pipes • Penalty box – sin bin • Hockey stick – twig • Helmet – bucket

  18. Meaning • Ethnosemantics – classification systems of various languages

  19. Sociolinguistics • Sociolinguistics • Relationship between social and linguistic variation, or language in its social context • How do different speakers use a given language? • How do linguistic features correlate with social stratification, including class, ethnic and gender differences,? • How is language used to express, reinforce, or resist power?

  20. Linguistic Diversity • Style Shifts – vary our speech in different contexts • Home vs. work • Diglossia – switch dialects • EX: Belgium (German and Flemish)

  21. Geography, culture, socioeconomic differences • Dialects coexist in the US • Social rankings based on speech patterns • Dese, dem, dere • Ain’t • Uneducated speech

  22. “I don’t want none”

  23. Gender Speech Contrasts • Women pronounce words different from men • Japan – higher voice • Women tend to be more careful about uneducated speech • Men use working-class speech (more manly) • Men use forceful words (cursing!) • Descriptions are based on importance to the person

  24. Stratification • Extralinguistic forces – social, political, and economic • EX: New York (1972) • Pronunciation of “R” in NYC Department Stores • Saks 5th Avenue (High End) 62% (68 people) • Macy’s (Middle) 51% (125 people) • S. Klein’s (Lower) 20% (71 people)

  25. Habits determine access to employment • Wealth, prestige, power • Presidents • Symbolic domination

  26. Historical Linguistics • Historical linguistics • Long-term change in language • Daughter languages • Languages that descend from the same parent language • French and Spanish – Latin • Protolanguage • The original language

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