LING 200 Introduction to Linguistics Prof Sharon Hargus

LING 200 Introduction to Linguistics Prof. Sharon Hargus Winter 2009 Jan. 5, 2009

Welcome to LING 200 § Plan for today § Syllabus, administrative matters § What is linguistics? § What is grammar? Please turn off your cell phone.

Administrative matters § Syllabus is on class website: http: //courses. washington. edu/lingclas/200. html

Goals for student learning in this class § Learn about some general properties of human language § Learn some facts about particular languages § Develop competence in linguistic analysis § Learn about some tools for analyzing language

Summary of student responsibilities § Do the assigned work on time § Read the textbook; quiz on reading opens Fridays, closes Tuesdays before section § Homework posted Fridays, due Thursdays in section § No make-up exams § Be respectful of others

What is linguistics and what is a linguist? § Popular/military definitions of linguistics/linguist § Military ‘linguist’ = translator § Popular culture, ‘linguist’ = someone who knows more than one language § Polyglot: someone who speaks more than one language § To linguists, linguistics is the study of human language as a rule-governed system of knowledge

Systems of knowledge in language Two types of knowledge § 1. List-type knowledge § The meaningful elements you know § horse § Spanish caballo § Sahaptin k’úsi § Linguists, lexicographers make this information explicit in a dictionary

2 nd type of knowledge § 2. Rule-type knowledge § The system of rules with which the structure of a language can be described § I. e. ‘grammar’ § e. g. rules for plural formation § horses § Spanish caballos § Sahaptin k’úsima

Grammar § Different meanings of ‘grammar’ § What “grammar” might mean to you § the right way to write § the right way to speak § Linguists: “prescriptive grammar” § = rules handed down by a supposed “authority” on the right way to write/speak

A prescriptive rule of English § Pronouns referring to animals are not marked for gender: use it instead of he/she etc. § Instead of § “My cat’s name is Peach. He is a bad animal. ” § I should say § “My cat’s name is Peach. It is a bad animal. ” § But who talks like that? ? ?

Linguists’ view § Linguists are interested in what people actually say/sign, not what they are told to say § Any native speaker is an expert on their language § But variation: different varieties (just not "right" vs. "wrong“) § So what do linguists study then?

Descriptive grammar § What speakers/signers actually produce § What speakers/signers judge to be a possible word or sentence § Linguists describe what speakers do/know as a system of rules, a descriptive grammar

Working with Mike Abou in Ft. Ware, B. C. July 2005

Linguists work with data § Previously collected data (corpus studies, philology) § Newly collected data § from self (intuitions) § from others (fieldwork, experiments)

Summary § Linguistics is about § describing languages § documenting lexicon, texts § rules by which language is structured (grammar) § understanding other properties of human language § how do we manage to learn a language? § what makes human language so unique on this planet?

Preview § Some topics we’ll discuss later on in this course § Some languages seem to be more related to each other than other languages. § Is American Sign Language a language? What are its properties? § Lots of languages seem to be going extinct. Why is that happening? § What is computational linguistics?

This week § Sections Tues and Thurs § Wed lecture: Design features of human language § Fri film: Discovering the Human Language § Beginning Wed, bring paper and pencil to lecture to answer a two-minute question at the end of lecture, including Friday film.