LANGUAGE

LANGUAGE
LANGUAGE

A system of symbolic
communication using
sounds and/or gestures that
are able to be understood by
all members within a society
that share the language.

Can you think of examples?

LANGUAGE

Symbol vs. Signal

Symbol: Shared understandings

about the meaning of certain
words, attributes, or objects.

Signal: An instinctive sound or

gesture that has a natural or self-
evident meaning.

Like choking on food or sneezing

HUMANS VS. PRIMATES

Koko the Gorilla:

Koko

Chimpanzees, Orangutans and Gorillas can

communicate through sign language at the
level of a ~2-3 year old human child.

Human culture is ultimately dependent on

an elaborate system of communication far
more complex than that of any other species.
LINGUISTICS
THE STUDY OF LANGUAGE --ONE OF
THE 4 MAJOR SUB-FIELDS OF
ANTHROPOLOGY

Descriptive Linguistics

Phonology: Sound-study
The study of language sounds

Sounds in some languages

that are absent/difcult to
pronounce in others?
LINGUISTICS
THE STUDY OF LANGUAGE --ONE OF
THE 4 MAJOR SUB-FIELDS OF
ANTHROPOLOGY

Descriptive Linguistics

Morphology: Form-study
The study of the patterns or
rules of word formation in a
language: Verb tenses,
pluralization and compound
words
LINGUISTICS
THE STUDY OF LANGUAGE --ONE OF
THE 4 MAJOR SUB-FIELDS OF
ANTHROPOLOGY

Descriptive Linguistics

Syntax: The patterns or rules

by which words are arranged
into phrases and sentences
LINGUISTICS
THE STUDY OF LANGUAGE --ONE OF
THE 4 MAJOR SUB-FIELDS OF
ANTHROPOLOGY

Descriptive Linguistics

Grammar: The entire formal

structure of a language, including
morphology and syntax

Grammar rules of diferent

languages? Defnite article
diferences?
HISTORICAL LINGUISTICS
THE ORIGINS/CHANGING NATURE OF
LANGUAGE

Deciphering dead languages

Diferences between earlier and later forms of

the same language

How older languages developed into modern

ones

Interrelationships among older languages

LANGUAGE FAMILY
A GROUP OF LANGUAGES DESCENDED
FROM A SINGLE ANCESTRAL
LANGUAGE

Indo-European Language Family:

Map
University of Texas Linguistics Research Center

Nilo-Saharan Language Family:

Map

Ethnologue report
Ethnologue
An online research and reference
guide to over 6,900 known languages
GLOTTOCHRONOLOGY

The Linguistic divergence of languages

may be traced by a method known as
glottochronology which compares the core
vocabularies of languages (pronouns, lower
numerals, and names for body parts and
natural objects). Assumption: These basic
vocabulary words change more slowly than
other words and at a more or less constant
rate of 14 to 19 percent per 1,000 years.
PROCESSES OF LINGUISTIC
DIVERGENCE

Selective Borrowing

Ex: Foreign words in the English language? English

words in other languages?

Professional Specialization

Ex: Anthropology/Psychology terms! Medical, Legal terms

Sub-culture lingo

Does the gamer culture have specifc lingo? How about

those who frequent Starbucks?
LANGUAGE LOSS AND
REVIVAL

Language loss usually the result of a dominant

society assimilating subordinate societies.

Ex: English colonialism (500 years). In U.S.

wiped out about half of all Native American
languages.

Over the last ~500 years, 3,500 of the worlds

10,000 or so languages have become extinct
because of forced assimilation, epidemics and
warfare.
Patricia Ryan TED Talk: Dont Insist
on English! (Films on Demand)
LANGUAGE LOSS AND
REVIVAL

UNESCO (The United Nations

Educational, Scientifc, and
Cultural Organization) is focused
on preserving and reviving
traditional languages
LANGUAGE LOSS AND
REVIVAL

Initiative B@bel: Promotes

multilingualism on the Internet, this
initiative aims to bridge the digital
divide (over 80% of all internet users
speak just 10 languages) to make access
to Internet content and services more
equitable for users worldwide.

Initiative B@bel (Home Page)

LANGUAGE LOSS AND
REVIVAL

Reviving and Preserving

language

Koro language, Northeast India:

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/new
s/culture-places-news/enduring-voices-koro-vin.html
LANGUAGE IN ITS SOCIAL
AND CULTURAL SETTINGS

Sociolinguistics: Relationship between language

and society. How social categories (age, gender,
ethnicity, religion, occupation and class) infuence
the use and signifcance of distinctive styles of
speech.

Gendered Speech: Distinct male and female

speech patterns

Ex: Gendered speech in U.S. culture? Do men

and women speak in diferent ways?
LANGUAGE IN ITS SOCIAL AND
CULTURAL SETTINGS

Dialects: Varying forms of a language that refect

particular regions, occupations, or social classes
and that are similar enough to be mutually
intelligible.

Ex: Formal (standard) vs. Informal speech

A few American Dialects:

Sampler

Appalachian

Louisiana Swamp
LANGUAGE IN ITS SOCIAL AND
CULTURAL SETTINGS CONT.

Ethnolinguistics: The study of the

relationships between language and
culture, and how they mutually infuence
and inform each other

Linguistic Relativity: The idea that

distinctions encoded in one language
are unique to that language
LANGUAGE IN ITS SOCIAL AND CULTURAL
SETTINGS CONT.

Ex: Color spectrum and arbitrary

names/divisions

Ex: Things most important to a culture are

accorded more names and concepts

The Ayamara Indians in the Bolivian Highlands have

200 words for Potato

The Nuer pastoralists of Africa have over 400 names

for cattle.

Ex: How many words do we have for car? (i.e.

diferent parts or types of car?) What about words
for money?
LANGUAGE IN ITS SOCIAL AND
CULTURAL SETTINGS CONT.

What do elements of our language say

about us

We conquer space, fght the battle of

the bulge, carry out a war against
drugs, make a killing of the stock
market, shoot down an argument,
torpedo a plan, spearhead a
movement, decapitate a foreign
government, or bomb on an exam.
LANGUAGE IN ITS SOCIAL AND
CULTURAL SETTINGS CONT.
The structure of the language one
habitually uses infuences the
manner in which one understands
his environment. The picture of
the universe shifts from tongue to
tongue. -B.J. Whorf
GESTURE-CALL SYSTEM

Body signs account for over 60% of our total

communication

It provides the key to speech, providing listeners

with the appropriate frame for interpreting what
a speaker is saying.

Ideas about personal space? Business space?

Paralanguage: voice efects that convey meaning

Giggling/groaning/sighing/pitch/tempo of
words

Clip from Pretty Woman

GESTURE-CALL SYSTEM

Tonal languages: In some languages,

intoning a word slightly diferently
will change the word entirely. Ex?
(70% of the worlds language are
Tonal)

Ex: Zhutwasi, or San Bushmen click

language:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=c246fZ-7z1w&feature=related
GESTURE-CALL SYSTEM

What about texting, email, Facebook,

etc without body signs and other cues,
how do we get across the right meaning?

(According to a recent study, the

intended tone of email messages is
perceived correctly only 56% of the
time)