PROCESS

 

 

THE NATURE OF HUMAN LANGUAGE

 

 

Linguists understand language as a system of arbitrary vocal signs. Language is rule-governed, creative, universal, innate, and learned, all at the same time. It is also distinctly human.

 

 

Language functions

 

 

• Language gives expression to our thoughts.

 

• Language is used to transmit information also known as it’s “Communicative Function”.

•  Language is used to maintain social intercourse (as in greetings or talk about the weather) – often referred to as its “phatic function”.

•  Language provides the row material for works of literature.

•  To get others to do things

• To express emotions or feelings

• To make promises

• To ask questions

• To bring about states of affairs

• To talk to oneself

• Even to talk about language itself, or what is known as “metalanguage”

 

 

Linguistic signs

Linguistic signs involve sequences of sounds which represent concrete objects and events as well as abstractions.

The philosopher C.S. Peirce recognized three types of signs:

 

Iconic: Which resemble the things they represent (as do, for example, photographs, diagrams, star charts, or chemical models);

 

Indexical: Which point to or have a necessary connection with the things they represents (as do, for example; smoke to fire, a weathercock to the direction of the wind);

 

Symbolic: Which are inly conventionally related to the thing they represented (as do, example, a flag to a nation)

 

 

The rule-governed nature of language

 

Language consists of signs occurring not in a random collection, but in a system. A system consists of smaller unit which stand in relation to each other and perform particular functions. These smaller units are organized or certain principle, or rules.  The rules of a language, or its underlying system, are inferable from the observable patters of the language.

This underlying system constitutes what is called grammatical competence.

 

Grammar 

It is referring to the rules or principles by which a language works, that is, its system or structure.

Types of grammar

 

• Prescriptive grammar or grammar rules
  
• Descriptive grammar
• Traditional grammar
• Functional grammar,
• Generative grammar
• Formal grammar

 

Components of language

These components are conventional and, to some extent, arbitrary divisions of linguistic investigation.

 

1. Phonology: It is the study of the speech sounds of human language of a particular language.

A subdivision is the phonetics: It is the study of the speech sounds of language in general.

Either from the perspective of their production ("articulatory phonetics"), their perception ("auditory phonetics"), or their physical properties ("acoustic phonetics").

 

2. Morphology: it is the study of the structure or form of words in a particular language, and of their classification.

 

3. Syntax: It is the study of the order and arrangement of words into larger units, as well as the   relationships holding between elements in these hierarchical units. It studies the structure and types of sentences.

4. Semantics: it is study of how meaning is conveyed in words, phrases, or clauses.

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

Learn and master the properties and processes of language will allow the human an effective and productive communication in all contexts.

 

 

EVALUATION

 

 

The form of assessment of this presentation will be held through of comments and contributions of collaborative work.

Each member of the collaborative group will review and analyze job content and will give their view  , if something is must adjusted or supplemented, the author of the work will make  necessary changes.

This paper takes each student toward self-evaluation the understanding  the content of the study material;  on the other side through peer assessment can be rearranged viewpoints and build knowledge; the hetero- evaluation allows timely feedback.

 

RESOURSES

• Language forms and Functions e-books unit 1_ chapter 1, The nature of Language and Linguistics; Material didactico Universidad Nacional Abierta y  a Distancia.

• https://www.google.com.co/search?q=imagenes=

• http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gram%C3%A1tica

TASK

 

This presentation aims that group members understand the forms and functions of language through interaction and objective analysis of the content;   which will lead to the creation of a final document that accounts the understanding of the unit.

INTRODUCTION

 

Man is by nature a social being, with the need to create, to express their ideas, emotions, feelings, etc., so the language is that system of signs, symbols, signals and sounds that are transmitted through the senses, and that allows the interaction with our peers in the process of communication. The language is innate in humans that develops over time and is acquired largely through imitation, especially when we refer to a mother tongue .

 Language can be verbal and non-verbal, in each of these types of language, our body plays a key role, in the case of verbal language, the management of our body must be consistent with what we want communicate .Tambien we must note that the language goes hand in hand with culture.

 

On the other hand the animals communicate through sound, visual and olfactory cues.

In this presentation we will study the components of human language, which will help us understand the process.