Linguistic competence
What we know when we know a language. The unconscious knowledge that a speaker has about their language
Linguistic performance
The observable use of language. The actualization of one’s linguistic performance
Performance error
Errors in language production or comprehension, including hesitations and slips of the tongue
Speech communication chain
The process through which information is communicated, consisting of an information source, transmitter, signal, receiver and destination
Speech communication chain steps
9 steps that show how communication happens from initial formation of thoughts to listeners reception and processing of words
noise
Something that inhibits the communication chain
Lexicon
A mental repository of linguistic information about words and other lexical expressions, including their form, meaning, morphological and syntactic propererites.
Mental grammar
The mental representation of grammar. The knowledge that a speaker has about the linguistic units and rules of his native language.
language variation
The property of languages having different ways to express the same meanings in different contests according to factors such as geography, social class, gender etc.
descriptive grammar
Objective description of a speaker’s knowledge of a language based on their use of the language
Evidence that writing and language are not the same(4 reasons)
- Archaeological evidence that writing is a later historical development than spoken language.
- Writing does not exist everywhere spoken language does, less than half of spoken languages have a written component
- Language is acquired naturally, writing must be taught
- writing can be edited before it is shared with other, speech is usually delivered spntaneously
Reasons some people believe writing to be superior to speech (3 reasons)
- writing can be edited
- writing must be taught and therefore is associated with education
- written language is more stable than verbal language
prescriptive grammar
A set of rules designed to give instructions regarding the socially embedded notion of the correct or proper way to speak or write
prescribe
Elevating one language over another
Charles Hockett/s nine design features
- Mode of communication
- Semanticity
- Pragmatic function
- Interchangeability;ity
- Displacement
- Cultural transimission
- Arbitrariness
- Discreteness
- Productivity
Mode of communication
Means through which a message is transmitted for any given communication system
semanticity
Property of having signals that convey a meaning shared by all communication systems
pragmatic function
The useful purpose of any given communication system
interchangeability
The property of a communication system by which all individuals have the ability to both transmit and review messages (as opposed to systems where some individuals can only send messages and others can only receive messages)
cultural transmission
property of a communication system referring to the fact that at least some aspects of it are learned through interaction with other users of the system
arbitrariness
in relation to language refers to the fact that a words meaning is not predictable from its linguistic form nor its form dictated by its meaning
linguistic sign
the combination of a linguistic form and meaning
convention
something established or operating in accordance with common practice
nonarbitrariness
Direct correspondence between the physical properties of a forma nd the meaning that the form refers to
