LINGUIST 1A03- Midterm Exam Guide - Comprehensive Notes for the exam ( 37 pages long!)
5 Oct 2017
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The science of language: simple definition, b(cid:455) s(cid:272)ie(cid:374)(cid:272)e, (cid:373)ea(cid:374)s it"s the (cid:449)a(cid:455) (cid:449)e ask (cid:395)uestio(cid:374)s to lea(cid:396)(cid:374) a(cid:271)out la(cid:374)guage uses a scientific approach, using systematic empirical approach, observe data to back up our theories, ex. Instead you observe: observe what people say and develop why they say these things. Cognitive science = what goes on in the mind. Shared system that allows us to understand each other: mental grammar. Morphology strategies language is used to form words. Syntax words combined to form sentences. Semantics meanings of words and sentences organized in mind. Core pieces of mental language: what everyone knows, phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics. The most fundamental property of human language: creativity, every language can express any possible concept, mental grammar is governed by systematic principles. Every language can generate an infinite number of possible new words and sentences: generativity, finite, small and finite principles for combining those words, generative infinite number of sentences, human grammar is generative.
