CSCD 1108 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Universal Grammar, Language Change, Ontogeny
8 Aug 2018
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Document Summary
Introduction to linguistics: course objectives & fundamental questions. Linguistics = science of language: a linguists approach to language is objective & descriptive. What is language: a special type of communication system, as vehicle of thought, cognition, symbolism (semiotic system), social interaction, as defining characteristic of human beings. All forms of communication are semiotic systems- systems of signs. Signs are things that represent something and may be iconic, indexical or arbitrary. Icons: resemble what they represent: road sign w/ silhouette of deer. Indexical: signs bear a predictable relationship to what they mean based on facts of nature: smoke=fire, arbitrary: signs (symbols) have no intrinsic relation to their meaning & must be memorized, some linguistic symbols (words) are partially iconic. Knowledge of language is : such words are called onomatopoetic. Highly complex, unconsciously held; all its essential structures are acquired by the age of 5.
