语言学

1
An Introduction to General LinguisticsSchool of Foreign Languages
About this course
1. Who this course is for
2. Duration of this course
3. How to study this course
4. How to do well in assessment
5. What this course is about
6. Suggested further reading
1. Who this course is for
(1) This course is intended for English majors, generally for 3rd year college students (undergraduates), or at any
level of proficiency from intermediate upwards, who need to know the fundamentals of linguistics.
(2) Please note that a fairly good knowledge of linguistics is required in any postgraduate entrance exam, so we
strongly advise prospective MA students to spend adequate time on this course.
(3) If you choose linguistics as your future research interest and you plan to do more advanced work in this academic
field, it is the right time for you to know the ABC of general linguistics.
2. Duration of this course
2 teaching hours per week for 17 weeks in one semester to cover 8 chapters.
3. How to study this course
(1) You are kindly required to attend every
class and you need to take notes carefully and
quickly if you can.
(2) It is advisable to understand linguistic
theories, ideas or notions through examples
instead of memorizing word by word without
comprehension.
(3) Please review regularly what you have
learned after class, and do additional exercises to strengthen the knowledge in your mind.
4. How to do well in
assessment
(1) Required attendance and good performance in
class account for about 10% of your total score. Please note that there are also some occasional in-class
quizzes.
(2) The test paper which accounts for 90% is
mainly based on what you have learned in class.
(3) It is a closed-book exam. You are required to finish your exams without consulting your notes or any books you
have about linguistics.
Chapter One
Invitations to Linguistics
1. Why Study Language?
Machine language bird languages (bee dancing) sign language
body language beating drums
Traffic signals Braille
Secret codes Morse code
Onomatopoeia flag language
2. Some myths about language
1) Language is only a means of communication.
2) Language has a form-meaning correspondence.
3) The function of language is to exchange information.
4) English is more difficult to learn than Chinese.
5) Black English is not standard and should be reformed.
3. Some fundamental views about L
 Children learn their native language swiftly, efficiently and without instruction.
(language a cquisition in SLA)
 Language operates by rules (on different levels: lexical, syntactic, social and cultural).
 All languages have three major components: a sound system, a system of lexicogrammar and a system of semantics.
 Everyone speaks a dialect.