Semantics 666

technical knowledge vs what is actually being said

 systematic comparison between two (or more) languages (Whorf 1941)

conventional sign are analogous to a picture / model (unlike arbitrary signs)

“body”; collection of words in (for example) a dictionary

analysis of naturally occuring language on the basis of computerised corpora. takes frequency of phenomena into account

 descriptive = neutral description of language; prescriptive = formulating rules for the “right” usage

oppositions

based on studies (authentic data)

based on thoughts and intuition of linguist

 associated w/ Chomsky, mathematical theories of the combinatorics of grammar combined w/ the claim that they’re facts of language without any reference to their function, sharp dichotomy separation, no interest in speaker / situation 

various approaches to the study of grammatical descriptions and processes that consider the purposes to which language is put and the contexts in which language occurs. Prague school -  contrast with chomskyan linguistics

choices as to which possible thing to use when speaking (eg passive/active) // which individual linguistic units?

overall functions of language in communication // what is communicated?

Linguistic adaptation is a phenomenon where language representations change in response to linguistic input. Adaptation can occur on multiple linguistic levels such as phonology (tuning of phonotactic constraints), words (repetition priming), and syntax (structural priming)

study of phenomena, historical changes and functions of a language without restriction to a particular language or aspect

quality of indeterminacy (blurred boundaries) on a scale connecting two linguistic elements

refers to the conformity of a sentence to the rules defined by specific grammar of a language

free lexical unit to function word, later maybe to bound morpheme, might undergo meaning changes, loss, bleaching (gonna ← going to) 

 language use, communicative needs, study of linguist pragmatics over time, written corpora (spoken recordings too new) 

 study of change of meanings of expression through time, in particular the change of meaning of words

study of the relationship between language and society in its historical dimension

branch of historical linguistics concerned with comparing languages to establish their historical relatedness

physical resemblance to the signified

the conceived similarity or analogy between the form of a sign and its meaning (as opposed to arbitrariness) 

process by which humans acquire the capacity to percieve and comprehend language as well as to produce and use it

language acquisition device, Chomskyan nativistic concept on learning language

parole = language use by individual; langue = language system shared by speech community

scientific study of language

generative grammar stored in the brain that allows a speaker to produce language others can understand

sign = symbol, icon, index ;   :) = signifié ; sound image = signifiant 

 modern linguistics did not begin until late 18th, Herder, Adelung; historical b4 18th century. English = fancy, Other languages = savage

 study of words, how they are formed, their relationship to other words (in same language) - structures (stems, roots, words, prefix…) analysed

what it says on the tin, nature = formalist, nuture = functionalist

 word mimics the sound the thing makes