In this article let me introduce the course, BEGG- 172 LANGUAGE AND LINGUISTICS in detail. This paper covers different aspects of a language and linguist. This course is not like any other papers of literature. you need more attention in order to get good marks. You cannot write the exam just by reading the study material. You need more attention from the teachers especially for the last three blocks-THE SOUNDS OF ENGLISH, WORD FORMATION STRATEGIES, SENTENCE TYPES: FORM AND FUNCTION.
Here I give you a simple and comprehensive Note on this course. First of all, let me explain two terms Language and Linguistics. Language is a system of communication that consists of a set of sounds and written symbols. In other words, language is a system of communication used by human beings. It can be in various forms like speech, written, signs and gestures. The scientific study of language is known as linguistics. There is a number of branches of linguistics such as morphology, syntax, semantics, phonology. Morphology is the study of the internal structure and formation of words. Semantics is the study of word meaning and its origin. Grammatical study of language known as syntax. Phonology is the study of speech sound and the cognitive aspects whereas phonetics is the systematic study of human speech sounds in their physical aspects.
Now let us move on to the block-wise discussion on the course Language and Linguistics.
BLOCK 01. THE NATURE OF LANGUAGE.
UNIT 01. What is Language? Unique Features of Human Language.
UNIT 01 talks about what is language? What are the features of human language? How human language is different from animal language. Apart from that, you have to study the origin of language and various theories or concepts about the origin of language. This unit discusses the different concepts of the origin of language like divine origin, natural sound origin, social interaction, physical adaptation, generic origin, etc. This unit also looks at the different functions of communication such as the referential function, the expressive function, the directive function, the phatic function, the poetic function, etc. After that, this unit discusses the unique features of the human language like arbitrariness, displacement, duality, creativity, etc. Each of these topics we will be discussing in detail in our simple and comprehensive note. Apart from that it also looks at how it is differentiated from the animal language.
Definition of Language.
“Language is a set of sentences, each finite in length and constructed of a finite set of elements” (Noam Chomsky 1957)
“Language is a process of free creation; its laws and principles are fixed, but the manner in which the principles of generation are used is free and infinitely varied. Even the interpretation and use of words involve a process of free creation” (Noam Chomsky 1983). Language is a something that created spontaneously with fixed rules and regulations.
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