LT-IL INTRODUCTION TO LINGUISTICS

CHARACTERISTICS OF LANGUAGE
Language
• is characterized according to its distinguishing qualities.
• These include conventionality and non-instinctive, productivity and creativity, duality,
displacement. humanness, and universality. Conventional and Non-instinctive

Conventional and Non-instinctive

• Conventional (brought about by evolution, nakasanakayan)
• Each generation transmits to the next.
• Every language is a convention in the community, a product of a cooperative mind.
• Non-instinctive because none is born with the spontaneity to speak any language. It is learned
through interaction and socialization.
• Language is not biologically automated but culturally determined.
• A word does not make sense unless it is collectively understood by the users.
• The language systems, symbols, structures, and meanings are always products of the peoples'
thoughts produced in harmony.

Productivity and Creativity

• Language is productive. It is creative. It keeps on sprouting that with one word emerges another.
• As the needs of the people change, language evolves as a means of adapting to the demands of the
people who use it.

Duality
• The sentence "The hunters shot the lion" conforms to the general philosophical theory of signs and
symbols concerning its semantic and pragmatic sense.
• It makes sense since the sounds are arranged according to their fixed combinations and the words
are arranged according to the prescribed grammatical structure.
• Human language comprises of two sub-systems: the sound system and the meaning system.
• Predetermined sound combinations create units of meaning.
• Different combinations of sounds produce syntactic categories, units, and constituents that create
more sophisticated and meaningful utterances.

Displacement
• Unlike animal communication that is context-bound, human language is context-free.
• Human beings are capable of narrating events and situations without actually living them at the
moment.
• For human language, a stimulus is not directly induced, objects may not necessarily be tangibly
present at the place and time of speaking.

Humanness
• Language is innate to human beings. No species other than humans are gifted with language.
Humans are endowed with physical attributes for them to acquire language.
• Language has complex structures of sounds and meanings, which animals could not comprehend.
Human language is changeable and extendable.
Universality
• Although each language has a unique style of functions in terms of sounds, vocabulary and
structures, language is equal in all the parts of the universe.
• A linguistic universal is a systematic occurrence of the linguistic patterns across national languages.
• All languages have nouns, although the structural arrangement may vary in the same way that all
languages have vowels and consonants.
• Linguists identified two universals: the absolute, where all elements apply to every known
language; and the implicational, where only particular features apply to different languages.

OVERVIEW ON THE STUDY OF LINGUISTICS: BRANCHES, THEORIES AND

APPROACHES

Branches of Linguistics
• Linguistics is the scientific study of human language.
• It is a science that studies the rules, systems, and principles of human language.
• It is also concerned with human life, behavior, society, and so forth.

It is divided into two broad fields, namely:

• micro-linguistics
• macro-linguistics

Micro-linguistics
• also called as theoretical linguistics or general linguistics
• studies the nature of language, what a language is all about and how it works.
• It focuses on the structural components of language under the broad level of grammar.

Structured system of language

Phonology
• Studies the systems of sounds
• Phonology focuses on the abstract properties of sounds, such as how sounds are acquired or
stored in the human mind.
❖ Phonetics
-Studies the physical properties of sounds that is, how sounds are produced and
articulated through the interaction of the different vocal organs.
❖ Phonetics
deals with the physical properties of sounds irrespective of the language, the International
Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) comes in here.
 Morphology
the linguistic branch that focuses on the study of morphemes the smallest meaningful unit of a
language that cannot be further divided.

Syntax
• a branch of linguistics that focuses on the arrangement of words and phrases to form
sentences.
• deals with how sentences are structured.
• The word 'syntax' in Greek is syntaxis (arrangement).

Semantics
• one of the major branches of linguistics, deals with the study of the linguistic meaning of words
and sentences.
• It encompasses morphological meaning and the combined meaning of syntactical structures.
• It studies language meaning in terms of words-sentence relationships whether in the lexical or
compositional level.

Pragmatics
• pragmatics studies the contextual meaning.
• Pragmatics deals with meaning beyond the surface or literal level-that is, it focuses more on the
intended meaning of the speaker rather than what the sentence literally means.
• Therefore, it analyses implied meanings or what people actually mean when they make use of
language

Macro-linguistics
• Macro-linguistics views language from a broader perspective.
• It is concerned with how a language is acquired or used and how it relates to society as a whole.

Sociolinguistics
• a branch of linguistics, deals with the study of the effects of the different social and cultural factors
on the use of language.
• It examines the patterns and variations in language within a society or community.
• It analyzes how people, or a certain group of people, make choices in terms of language style or the
way they use language to express their personal and social identity.

Psycholinguistics
• a branch of linguistics that focuses on the interrelation between linguistic and psychological factors
that enable humans to understand, acquire, and use language.
• Hence, it is primarily concerned with the processes related to word cognition and learning in
particular and language acquisition in general.

Computational linguistics
• the branch of linguistics that studies the application of computer science in the analysis of language
and speech and other linguistic studies.
• It is primarily concerned with how computational modeling and approaches can be used to help
describe linguistic processes and analyze research data related to linguistic issues and problems.
Historical linguistics
• a branch of linguistics that is also known as diachronic linguistics.
• It deals with the study of language change or change of a group of languages over time, including
phonological, grammatical, and semantic changes.
• It is concerned with tracing the history of language family and identifying how a particular
language develops into its present form.

Comparative linguistics
• called comparative-historical linguistics, is a sub-field of historical linguistics that is primarily
concerned with comparing languages to establish their similarities and differences especially in
identifying whether or not they have a common ancestral language.

Structural linguistics
• a linguistic branch that focuses on the study of language as an independent network of formal
systems or structures.
• It is based on theories and principles that language is composed of structural units such as lexical
and syntactic elements.

Biolinguistics
• as an interdisciplinary study involving other disciplines such as biology, linguistics, psychology,
and neurolinguistics, primarily aims to explain the Historical linguistics is a branch of linguistics
that is also known as diachronic linguistics. It deals with the study of language change or change
of a group of languages over time, including phonological, grammatical, and semantic changes.
It is concerned with tracing the history of language family and identifying how a particular
language develops into its present form.

Applied linguistics
• a branch of linguistics that is primarily concerned with the application of language studies in
real life, such as in language teaching and learning.
• It is a broad term referring to the range of activities that involve the solving of some language-
related problems and concerns.

Clinical Linguistics
• a sub-discipline of applied linguistics that focuses on the application of linguistic concepts and
theories in the field of Speech-Language Pathology.
• It involves the description, analysis, and treatment of language disabilities and disorders.

Developmental linguistics
• a field of linguistics that studies the development of the linguistic ability of an individual
especially children.
• It focuses on how children acquire language in childhood, such as acquisition of syntax and other
linguistic elements.
 Linguistic typology
• another field of linguistics, which aims to classify languages based on their structural and
functional components.
• It focuses on describing the diversity of the languages in the world especially in terms of their
properties and structures.

Neurolinguistics
• a branch of linguistics that studies the relationship between language and the structures and
functions of the brain.
• Its aim is to analyze the different brain functions and mechanisms that are related to
language comprehension, production, and acquisition.

Stylistics
• a branch of linguistics that deals with the study on how different individuals or social groups use
language in all types or forms, spoken or written in their communication.
• Stylistics is also called literary linguistics because it studies the different authors and writers
especially on their writing styles as they use a variety of literary techniques and devices to provide
distinctness and variety in their writing especially, but not exclusively, in different literary works
and genres.

Etymology
• the branch of linguistics that investigates the origins of words, their birth, and development, often
delineating their spread from one language to another and their evolving changes in form and
meaning.
QUESTIONS
Part I

1. Anna moves to a new country where people speak a different language. At first, she struggles to
communicate, but after a few months of interacting with locals, she begins speaking fluently. What
does this situation best demonstrate?

A. Language is instinctive because Anna eventually learned it.

B. Language is conventional and learned through social interaction.
C. Language is biologically programmed, so Anna spoke naturally.
D. Language is fixed and does not change over time.

2. A group of young people starts using a new slang word, and over time, it becomes widely accepted
in their community. This shows that:

A. Language is instinctive and people are born knowing words.

B. Language is only used by older generations.
C. Language is a convention that evolves as people create and adopt new words.
D. Language does not change, and new words cannot be created.

Part II:

3. Scientists recently discovered a new species of animal and had to come up with a name for it. This
situation shows that:

A. Language is productive and new words can be created as needed.

B. Language is limited and cannot change.
C. People must always use old words to describe new discoveries.
D. Scientists should not name new species.

4. A company invents a new technology, and people start using terms like "streaming" and
"download" to describe how it works. What does this situation demonstrate?

A. Language is productive and adapts to new concepts.

B. Language is fixed and does not change.
C. New inventions do not need words to describe them.
D. Language is only for social interaction, not technology.
Part III:

5. James is learning a foreign language and notices that some words sound the same but have
different meanings. This situation best illustrates:

A. Language follows only one system of meaning.

B. Language has a dual nature: sound and meaning.
C. Words always have only one meaning in every language.
D. The way words sound is more important than their meaning.

6. A child learning English asks why the sentence "The dog chased the cat" makes sense, but
"Chased dog cat the" does not. What concept does this situation show?

A. Sentences can be arranged in any way and still make sense.

B. Language follows a structure where sounds and words must be ordered correctly.
C. Words do not need to follow any rules to communicate ideas.
D. Meaning is only determined by individual preference, not structure.

7. A scientist discovers a species of birds that can mimic human speech with remarkable accuracy.
These birds can "say" words they have heard before, even when the person who originally spoke them
is no longer present. Based on linguistic principles, which of the following statements is MOST
accurate?

A. The birds demonstrate displacement, since they can use words even when the original speaker is
absent.
B. The birds prove that language is not exclusive to humans, as they can reproduce human words.
C. The birds exhibit advanced mimicry, but not true language, since their speech lacks meaning and
structure.
D. The birds challenge the concept of universality, as they show that language is not unique to human
beings.

8. During a history class, a professor tells students about the events of the French Revolution in great
detail, even though it happened centuries ago. Which of the following explains why humans can do
this but animals cannot?

A. Humans possess universality, allowing them to understand historical concepts.

B. Human language exhibits displacement, enabling people to discuss things beyond the present
moment.
C. Language is conventional, so people can agree on historical facts.
D. Humans have instinctive language abilities that allow them to talk about past and future events.

9. A scientist teaches a chimpanzee to use hand signs to request food and toys. The chimp even
learns to combine signs like “want” and “banana.” However, despite years of training, the chimp never
forms creative or complex sentences like a human child would. What does this BEST illustrate?

A. The chimpanzee lacks humanness, as true language is exclusive to humans.

B. The chimpanzee demonstrates displacement, since it can communicate desires.
C. The chimpanzee shows productivity, as it can create new sentences.
D. The chimpanzee proves that language is instinctive, not learned.
10. Linguists study a newly discovered language spoken by a small tribe in the Amazon. They find
that the language has unique word structures and sounds, but also includes nouns, verbs, and
sentence patterns similar to other languages. What does this discovery support?

A. The principle of universality, since all languages share fundamental structures.

B. The concept of productivity, since new words constantly emerge.
C. The idea of displacement, since the language allows discussions of past events.
D. The notion that language is instinctive, as all humans are born with it.

11. A speech therapist is working with a child who struggles to pronounce certain sounds. The
therapist analyzes how the child produces sounds using their vocal cords, tongue, and lips. Which
linguistic branch is the therapist focusing on?

A. Phonology
B. Morphology
C. Phonetics
D. Pragmatics

12. A linguist is studying how new words are formed in a local dialect. They discover that the word
"unhappiness" can be broken down into "un-" (not), "happy" (emotion), and "-ness" (state). What area
of linguistics does this study belong to?

A. Syntax
B. Morphology
C. Semantics
D. Phonetics

13. A student writes the sentence: "The quickly dog brown jumped over lazy the fox." Their teacher
corrects them, explaining that the words are out of order. Which linguistic field does this correction
relate to?

A. Semantics
B. Syntax
C. Morphology
D. Phonology

14. A student reads the sentence "The bank was closed after the flood." They wonder whether "bank"
refers to a financial institution or the side of a river. What linguistic concept is this related to?

A. Phonetics
B. Morphology
C. Semantics
D. Pragmatics
15. In a job interview, the interviewer asks, "Do you have experience working in teams?" The
candidate responds, "I prefer working alone." Even though the answer is truthful, it suggests that the
candidate may not be a good fit for the role. Which linguistic concept explains this implied meaning?

A. Syntax
B. Morphology
C. Pragmatics
D. Phonology

16. A university professor notices that students from different regions pronounce certain words
differently and use unique expressions. She studies how these variations reflect social identity. Which
branch of linguistics is she focusing on?
A. Psycholinguistics
B. Sociolinguistics
C. Computational Linguistics
D. Structural Linguistics

17. A child struggles to learn new vocabulary, and a researcher investigates how memory and
cognitive functions influence language acquisition. What branch of linguistics does this fall under?
A. Psycholinguistics
B. Applied Linguistics
C. Structural Linguistics
D. Historical Linguistics

18. A tech company is developing an AI chatbot that can understand and respond to human
language. Which field of linguistics is most relevant to this project?
A. Biolinguistics
B. Sociolinguistics
C. Computational Linguistics
D. Comparative Linguistics

19. A linguist is studying how Old English transformed into Modern English over centuries. What field
of linguistics does this study belong to?
A. Structural Linguistics
B. Historical Linguistics
C. Developmental Linguistics
D. Applied Linguistics

20. A researcher is comparing similarities between Spanish, Italian, and French to determine if they
share a common ancestor. This research falls under:
A. Structural Linguistics
B. Developmental Linguistics
C. Comparative Linguistics
D. Clinical Linguistics

21. A linguist is analyzing sentence structures and word order patterns in different languages. Which
branch is he working under?
A. Structural Linguistics
B. Applied Linguistics
C. Psycholinguistics
D. Sociolinguistics

22. A scientist is studying how the human brain is wired for language and how genetics may influence
speech ability. Which field of linguistics is this?
A. Biolinguistics
B. Clinical Linguistics
C. Applied Linguistics
D. Psycholinguistics

23. A school is implementing a new teaching method to help students learn a second language more
effectively. This falls under:
A. Clinical Linguistics
B. Applied Linguistics
C. Psycholinguistics
D. Sociolinguistics

24. A speech therapist is diagnosing and treating a child with a language disorder. What branch of
linguistics does this belong to?
A. Clinical Linguistics
B. Developmental Linguistics
C. Psycholinguistics
D. Historical Linguistics

25. A psychologist observes how infants gradually learn to form sentences as they grow. This study is
part of:
A. Historical Linguistics
B. Comparative Linguistics
C. Developmental Linguistics
D. Biolinguistics

26. A linguist is analyzing various languages worldwide to determine common sentence

structures, such as Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) versus Subject-Object-Verb (SOV). Which branch of
linguistics does this research belong to?
A. Neurolinguistics
B. Linguistic Typology
C. Etymology
D. Stylistics

27. A neuroscientist is studying patients with brain injuries to determine how damage to specific areas
affects their ability to speak and understand language. This research falls under:
A. Stylistics
B. Neurolinguistics
C. Linguistic Typology
D. Etymology

28. A literature professor is analyzing how Shakespeare’s use of metaphors, rhythm, and tone make
his works unique. Which branch of linguistics does this study belong to?
A. Stylistics
B. Neurolinguistics
C. Linguistic Typology
D. Etymology

29. A language researcher is investigating the historical origins of the word "quarantine" and how its
meaning has changed over time. Which branch of linguistics is this?
A. Linguistic Typology
B. Etymology
C. Stylistics
D. Neurolinguistics

30. A linguist compares the grammatical structures of Mandarin, English, and Finnish to categorize
them based on their word order and syntax. This falls under:
A. Stylistics
B. Linguistic Typology
C. Comparative Linguistics
D. Etymology

31. A doctor is examining how bilingual patients' brains process multiple languages and whether
certain areas of the brain are more active when switching between languages. What field of linguistics
does this study belong to?
A. Neurolinguistics
B. Stylistics
C. Etymology
D. Linguistic Typology

32. An editor notices that two journalists write about the same event differently—one using formal
language, the other using humor and slang. Which branch of linguistics studies these differences?
A. Stylistics
B. Linguistic Typology
C. Neurolinguistics
D. Etymology

33. A historian is tracing the origin of the word “robot,” discovering that it comes from a Czech word
meaning "forced labor." Which linguistic branch does this belong to?
A. Etymology
B. Stylistics
C. Neurolinguistics
D. Linguistic Typology