LANGUAGES Introduction Intro 1 WHAT IS A LANGUAGE

LANGUAGES: Introduction

Intro 1 - WHAT IS A LANGUAGE? 2 - THE IDEA AND THE WORD 3 - TRICKY EXAMPLES

1 - What is a language? Do animals have languages? • What about birds? • What about dolphins? • What about spiders?

Language is a human property. Animals can communicate but they do not have a proper language - WHY?

Two basic properties of language: • ADAPTATION E. G. Spiders cannot adapt their dances. • CREATIVITY We can create new words whenever we want and need. E. G. Google something (verb), Skype someone (verb), selfie, snapchat.

Adaptation • You can adapt you speech wether you address kids, teachers, friends, parents. . . Hi mates! What's up? What have you been up to? Hello my dear friends. How do you do? I was wondering how you were doing and what you have been up to. Sorry, I'm late. I cannea do that. I apologize for being late. I'm afraid I cannot do that.

Creativity • Languages are flexible • You can create new words whenever you need them. (to skype, to google, to facebook message, to text)

• Languages are flexible They evolve through time. Words meanings change and evolve: 'girl' = used to mean a young person (female or male) 'worm' = used to mean a monster in general. 'dog' = used to be a particular kind of dog (powerful, strong).

A language which does not change and evolve through time is a DEAD language. (Latin)

The idea (concept) and the word

The idea and the word = FLOWER = FLEUR

The idea = the concept HOUSE MAISON CASA HAUSE Same concept (idea) but 4 different words.

Sometimes, in the same language people can have 2 different words to express the same idea.

traverser (la rue) crosser (la rue)

A pharmacy A chemist's A drugstore

ENGLISH SNOW

FRENCH NEIGE

SPANISH NIEVE

The example of the Inuit Languages. . . • Aneo, « neige pour l'eau » • Aneogavineq, « neige très dure et compacte » • Aniulc, « neige pour l'eau à boire » • Aoktorunrzeq, « neige tassée, fondue et gelée, là où un chien a dormi » • Aomyolc, « neige fondante » ; • Apinngraut, « première neige de l'automne » • Aput, « neige par terre » • Ikiartoq, « bloc de neige formé de plusieurs couches de neige qu'on peut couper horizontalement » • Ijaruvak, « neige fondue transformée en cristaux » • Auviq, « brique de neige pour faire un igloo » • Maujaq, « neige épaisse et molle où il est ardu de marcher »

Same thing for the 'gender' of words. . . un film una pelicula a movie / film Der Film

Other examples I went to school yesterday Je suis allé à l'école hier La traduction anglais comporte souvent moins de mots que sont équivalent anglais. On dit que l'anglais est une langue plus concise.

WENT = suis allé L'idée de "suis allé" est traduite par le seul mot "went" en anglais.

Other examples I ate Haggis for Hogmanay J’ai mangé du Haggis pour le réveillon du nouvel an

Other examples I played soccer with my pals. J’ai joué au foot avec mes potes.