ANT-2 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Linguistic Anthropology, Rubber Band, Sociolinguistics
Document Summary
Linguistics as a scientific study of language asks the following questions: Language is a system that uses physical symbols to express meaning. Language is our primary means of communication. Therefore it is a part of our culture. Only humans have the capacity to discuss past, present, and future (i. e. transmitted through learning as a part of enculturation communicate) Regional influences affect the way everyone speaks. Arbitrary learned associations between words and the things they stand for. Therefore you will see variation within a language or country. Football vs. soccer, rubber band vs. gum band, trunk vs. boot. Study in a social or cultural context. Consist of a limited number of sounds produced in response to specific stimuli. Calls cannot be combined to produce new calls. Calls are reflexive (automatic response to stimuli) Primates have call systems not suitable for speech. Capacity to speak of things and events not present. Capacity to generate new expressions by combining other expressions.
