- •The theory of Language Lecture 1
- •3 Approaches:
- •Language is a system of signs & a structure
- •3 Types of signs:
- •Lecture 2 Language & thought
- •Where do language & thought meet?
- •A series of planes:
- •Inner speech
- •Thought
- •Conclusions:
- •Language & thought from the point of view of cognitive linguistics
- •Language & Culture
- •Sapir’s understanding of language
- •The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
- •Verbal means
- •Prototypical categories
- •Social stratification
- •Lecture 4 Language, Mind, Culture & Society
- •Are human beings absolutely alone & unique in their use of systems of signs to express social meanings?
- •Sociolinguistics
- •Language & gender
- •Lecture 5 Language as a means of communication. Discourse analysis.
- •Verbal message
- •Verbalization
- •Understanding
- •The origins of discourse analysis
- •Pioneers in the field of da (Labov, Grice, Sinclair)
- •Differences between text & discourse
- •Linguistic features of text – the product of the process of discourse
- •Lecture 6 Levels of analysis
- •Performatives vs. Statements
- •What governs the linguistic realization of these speech acts?
- •The parson may object to it: the pragmatic meaning of the utterance
- •Speech arts & culture
Language & gender
Men & women are socialized to express themselves in different ways in accordance with cultural norms. The interrelationship between language & gender can be approached from different prospective (Pronunciation, grammatical variants, choices of vocabulary, discourse strategies).
Pronunciation: in the USA the percentage of postvocalic –r– is higher among women & men drop interdental sounds at the end of words. Women use more dynamic intonation contours, a wider range of pitches, more varied rhythmic patterns. Men employ a more monotonous style. Some scholars believe that women’s behavior is negatively evaluated in relation to men. Because women are viewed as more emotional & unpredictable while men are perceived as being in control of their emotions.
Grammar: research among school students in England shows that the speech of adolescent girls is grammatically slightly more correct. Men make these mistakes more often – multiple negation, nonstandard –s: we goes. The thing is that men & women also differ in the use of some grammatical constructions. E.g. women use tag questions more often. R. Lakoff: they are reluctant to make direct assertions. Though some scholars believe that the difference is absolutely insignificant & women in rather powerful in society as lawyer, doctors do not differ much from men in using grammatical constructions.
Vocabulary: there are certain domains of vocabulary that are more elaborated by each gender. Men & women are expected to know meaning of words within domains reflecting culturally stereotyped areas of the assumed expertise (cooking for women, sports for men). Women are intensifiers, such as “very”, “so” etc., adjectives (wonderful, lovely). Women use hedge words, i.e. words that covertly comment on assertions in one’s statements: e.g. perhaps. I’ve been wondering whether… well. The indecisive, imprecise or mitigated speech is perceived as more typical of women.
Discourse strategies: men use communicative strategies that assert their control & prerogatives. Women employ strategies that are differential, conciliatory & sensitive to other’s face. Women: ask question, to encourage responses, make positive minimal responses, allow interruptions. Men: interrupt & challenge, ignore the speech of interlocutors, introduce & control topics, make direct assertions & opinions. Boys & girls are treated differently & they talk different. This point of view is criticized, other scholars believe that power in society is distributed unequally & it reflects everyday interaction.
Lecture 5 Language as a means of communication. Discourse analysis.
The words ’communicate’ & communication are used in a wide range of contexts in their everyday sense. We can talk of the communication of feelings, moods, attitudes & communication of factual information.
Lyons: “communication is the intentional transmission of information by means of some established signaling-system.”
The process of communication is organized, standardized & culturally patterned. The structure of the communication process can often be presented as a model. Different authors present different ones.
S. L. Tubbs & S. Moss’ model: