Anthropology 1020E Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Arbitrariness, Pragmatics, Linguistic Competence
13 Oct 2018
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Features = properties or defining characteristics: vocal-auditory channel, duality of patterning i. Patterning at 2 different levels: productivity i. The fact you can produce infinite combinations of things: displacement, reflexivity i. Can change between being the communicator or the receiver: arbitrariness i. No natural connection between the meaning and the sound or sign that is produced: metaphor i. The ability to lie: ^ biased from sign languages especially the 1st one. Linguistics sign = relationship between the concept (signified) and the sound (signifier) Language is a system for combining signs in meaningful ways. Meaning is based on both content and use. Morphology: study of the structure of words and relationships between word parts. Every language has rules in grammar for how words can combine. Ambiguity, some meaning depends on word order. Speakers themselves would like to reverse these trends. Some estimate that we will lose 50% of languages by 2050.
