《语言学与翻译》课程教学资源（PPT课件讲稿，Part 1）Unit 1 Preliminaries of Language and Linguistics

Unit one Preliminaries of Language and Linguistics

Unit One Preliminaries of Language and Linguistics

Warm-up Questions 1. What is language? 2 What is linguistics?

Warm-up Questions 1.What is language？ 2. What is linguistics?

Objectives at the end of the unit students will 1. become familiar with the basic features and functions of language 2. know different branches of linguistics and their scopes OT STUdy

Objectives At the end of the unit students will 1. become familiar with the basic features and functions of language; 2. know different branches of linguistics and their scopes of study

CONTENtS 01 Language 02 Linguistics

ONTENTS 01 02 Language Linguistics

1//Language definition features functions

definition features functions 1 Language

According to the old Testament mankind spoke only one language until Nimrod began to build a tower that was to reach heaven To prevent the people of Earth from reaching His Heaven, God scattered them throughout the earth, and forced on them different languages so that they would be prevented from communicating with one another and building another Babel

According to the Old Testament, mankind spoke only one language until Nimrod began to build a tower that was to reach heaven. To prevent the people of Earth from reaching His Heaven, God scattered them throughout the Earth, and forced on them different languages so that they would be prevented from communicating with one another and building another Babel

What is language? Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication ) a system-rules and principles 2)arbitrary-no intrinsic connection between the words 3)human communication- human-specific

Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. What is language ? 1) a system—rules and principles. 2) arbitrary— no intrinsic connection between the words 3) human communication— human-specific

Features of Language w Arbitrariness 6 Displacement M Cultural transmission Productivity 6 Duality

Productivity Features of Language Duality

( Arbitrariness There is no logical or intrinsic connection between meanings and sounds, or between the things signified and the words used to signif Eg. The same object: mianbao in Chinese bread in English pain in French xleb in russian 八> in Japanese

(i) Arbitrariness There is no logical or intrinsic connection between meanings and sounds, or between the things signified and the words used to signify. Eg. The same object: mianbao in Chinese bread in English pain in French xleb in Russian パン in Japanese

Not only can a thing be signified differently in different languages, but even in a single language several signs can represent the same entity or notion Eg dozen or twelve or 12 for the same concept

Not only can a thing be signified differently in different languages, but even in a single language several signs can represent the same entity or notion. Eg. dozen or twelve or 12 for the same concept