LING 220 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Bemba Language, Survival Function, Jonathan Swift
16 Aug 2020
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Linguistics: study of how language works, is used, is acquired, how it changes over time, how it"s represented in the brain, etc. Not how good/bad or simple/complex a language is. Vocal cords create seal over passage to lungs. Move food to teeth and back into throat. **vocal cords: the bundle of nerves controlling this organ is among the densest in the body. Native speakers: speakers of a language acquired as children in natural setting. Human language is characterized by creativity, but it must have systematic constraints (boundaries) for this to occur. In english, nouns can be used as verbs. Doesn"t work if a word with the intended meaning already exists. Also doesn"t work with verbs created from time expressions. Verbs with time expressions must have a very specific interpretation. Ability to form/interpret sentences is subject to systematic limitations. **usage of asterisks (*) in case of unacceptable utterances.
