INTRODUCTION TO LINGUISTICS

Eugeniusz Cyran cyran@kul.lublin.pl, www.kul.lublin.pl/cyran

INTRODUCTION
Language and linguistic modules (e.g. phonology, morphology, syntax etc.) exhibit internal logic –
it is a self-organizing system (a mini-universe as in (1)).

(1)
what? players playground where?
categories domain of interaction

game

how?

Rules of the game follow from the inherent properties of categories and the nature of the domain of
interaction. The above scheme works for any area of scientific investigation.

(2)
chemistry chess game
players: elements defined in terms of properties such players: chess pieces defined in terms of status and
as valence, atomic weight, density, etc types of movements they can make

playground: test tubes, environment (radiation) playground: chessboard (determines possible

game: reactions depending on the properties of
elements and environment + effects: e.g. fusion,
fission. The types of possible chemical processes are
determined by the nature of players and playground
(2H2 + O2 > 2H2O > 2H2 + O2)
movements)
game: principles of movements, e.g. straight,
diagonal, knight’s movement, castling +
effects: blocking, checking, capturing (deleting),
promoting

(3)
FIRST STEPS IN SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY
• establish the players (categories) and the playground
– astrophysics: planets vs. space, etc.
– physics: elements like water, gas vs. environment, etc.
– sociology: a person vs. society, etc.

• characterise the players (definition of categories) to make them distinguishable from others –
give names and labels, define properties, etc.
– physics, chemistry: oxygen – “a colourless odourless highly reactive gaseous element: the most
abundant element in the earth's crust (49.2 per cent). It is essential for aerobic respiration and
almost all combustion and is widely used in industry. Symbol: O; atomic no.: 8; atomic wt.:
15.9994; valency: 2; density: 1.429 kg/m3; melting pt.: -218.4°C; boiling pt.: -182.96°C”

• establish laws (rules of the game) in which the “players” are involved
– physics: the law of gravity, weight of objects submerged in water
– sociology, psychology: law of the mob, law of the stronger, survival instincts, contextual
behaviour, interaction between members of opposite gender
1
THERE IS ALSO THE QUESTION WHY? (WHAT-WHERE-HOW-WHY)
• To answer questions beginning with “WHY” we must construct a THEORY, e.g:
− in socio-biology: a lot of behavioural patterns may be “explained” by assuming that: all
creatures strive for the survival of their species (Darwin)
− in physics: the relativity theory (E = mc2)
− in politics: the conspiracy theory
– in economics: the game theory (sic!)

(4) Linguistics in general, is no different...

Syntax: ale go zrobiliśmy w trąbę vs. *ale go zrobili w trąbęśmy
Morphology govern-ment vs. *ment-govern, *govern-ation
Phonology: drgnąć vs. *gndrąć

Linguistics: The scientific study of human language

Bird’s eye view
linguistic branches (playgrounds) (Fromkin ed. Linguistics: An introduction to linguistic theory)

Grammar:
Lexicon
Q1: what differences can you imagine between the lexicons of different speakers of a
language? Sources of such differences?

Q2: players: words playground: brain game: rules of lexical storage and access

Morphology:
Q1: any other meanings of morphology? (US: morphology & architecture)

Q2: Players: roots and affixes Playground: word, lexiconGame: rules of combinations

Syntax:
Q1: syntagmatic vs. paradigmatic relations

Q2: embeded phrases, relative clauses, explain!

Q3: Players: words, phrases Playground: string of words Game: rules of phrase structure

2
Semantics:
Q1: how do you understand ‘symbolic’

Q2: player/playground/game Quiz: prince polo for the best interpretation of ppr in semantics

Phonetics & Phonology:

Q1: k’ip’i / kypy / kyp’i / k’ipy words/no words/ possible words

Q2: what is the difference between phonetics and phonology?

Q3: players: playground: game:

Homework: Reading 1. Read chapter 1 from Fromkin and Rodman: The Nature
of Human Language.

I. Questions to your first reading assignment:

1.What is the aim of linguistic theory

2. How do you understand the last paragraph on p.19?

3. What is the typical attitude of linguists towards prescriptivism? Give reasons?

4. What is the main deficiency in animal language?

5. What does the experiment of Pharaoh Psammetichus show?

6. Consider each point of the list beginning on p. 25. Give your own interpretation of how you
understand these points.

II. Be ready to discuss the following list of linguistic terms and ordinary words:

linguistic competence vs. performance, descriptive grammar, prescriptive grammar, teaching

grammar, universal grammar, dodo, signify, arbitrary relation between form and meaning, iconic vs.
conventional relation, onomatopoeic, sound symbolism, creativity of language, elephantiasis,
Methuselah, what is finite vs. non-finite in grammar, explicit, gloss, etiology of grammatical
concepts, biological endowment, language faculty, discreteness, robin, mynah bird, innate, whence,
whither, thereof, monogenetic theory of language origin, echoic, primeval, the bow-wow theory