Knowing the meaning of words.
Knowing the sounds and sound patterns in our lg constitutes only one part of our linguistic knowledge. In addition, knowing a lg is knowing that certain sound sequences signify certain concepts or meanings. If you do not know a lg, the words will be mainly incomprehensible, because the relationship between speech sounds and the meanings they represent , for the most part, an arbitrary one.
The proportions in the final score
Performance in class is 10%. Paper on some topic is 10%. Final exam is 80%.
CONTENTS
Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Review (1) Introduction to Linguistics(3) Phonetics (3) Phonology (3) Morphology (4) Syntax (4)
Noam Chomsky, Language and Mind
We use language every day. We live in a world of lg. We talk to our friends, our associates, our wives and husbands, our lovers, our teachers and our parents. We talk to bus drivers and total strangers. we talk face to face and over telephone, and everyone responds with more talk. Hardly any moment passes without someone talking, writing, or reading. Indeed, lg is most essential to mankind. Our lives increasingly depend on fast and successful use of lg. It is the possession of lg that distinguishes humans from animals.To understand our humanity one must understand the nature of lg that makes us human.