LINGUIST 1AA3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Canadian English

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Linguistics
• Course: LINGUIST 1AA3
• Professor: Catherine Anderson

Document Summary

The way we ask questions to learn about language uses a scientific approach. The scientific way of thinking about language involves making systematic and empirical observations. Empirical: observe data to find evidence for theories. Linguistics take descriptive approach to language, not a prescriptive approach. We describe what people do with their language, not prescribe how or should they use their language. Linguists observe what people say and how they say it, and create theories. The articulatory system enables speech, the auditory system, the neural system is special compared to other species. Mental grammar: shared system that lets speakers of a language understand each other. Examine the mental grammar of english, and other languages. Morphology: strategies that languages use to form words. Syntax: the different ways that languages combine words to form sentences. Semantics: the meanings of words and sentences are organized in the mind. All languages have these 5 core fields. Every language can express any possible concept.