Chomsky continued

1
Chomsky continued

• introduction to linguistics

2
importance of Chomsky

• linguistic theory is mentalistic,
• concerned with discovering a mental reality
  underlying actual behaviour
• language as the key to the mind

3
Chomskys approach

• formalist
• no regard for the social functions of lang
• empirical evidence
• intuitions of a linguist (linguists)
• object of study
• grammar syntax
• particular features of syntax with reference to
  universal and innate principles of cognition

4
aims of linguistics

• linguistic theory is concerned primarily with an
  ideal speaker-hearer in a completely homogeneous
  speech-community, who knows its language
  perfectly, and is unaffected by such
  grammatically irrelevant conditions as memory
  limitations, distractions, shifts of attention
  and interest, and errors (random or
  characteristic) in applying his knowledge of the
  language in actual performance

5
language definition

• an infinite set of sentences,
• each finite in length and
• constructed out of a finite set of elements

6
a linguists task

• a generative grammar must be a system of rules
  that can iterate to generate an indefinitely
  large number of structures

7
formal

• consisting of, based upon, evidenced by, or
  considering observable similarities and
  differences in linguistic form as distinguished
  from logical, a priori, semantic, comparative, or
  historical similarities and differences
• the formal approach to comparative linguistics
• a formal classification of language
• of, relating to, or constituting logical,
  epistemological, or ontological forms also
  belonging to a formalized system

8
formalized

• to state precise rules for the combination and
  transformation of (as expressions or language)
• usually by replacing the original words by
  symbols that can be discussed without reference
  to their meaning
• Merriam-Websters Third New

9
competence again

• a psychological phenomenon
• a genetic feature of any human being
• linguistics interested in what is common to the
  languages that people speak
• that the human species possesses
• universal features universals

10
cognition

• the intellectual process by which knowledge is
  gained about perceptions or ideas

11
poznanie

• POZNANIE, filoz. jedna z podstawowych kategorii
  filoz.,
• zarówno proces zdobywania wiedzy
  o rzeczywistosci,
• czyli czynnosci, akty poznawcze,
• jak i rezultat tego procesu, jego wytwór,
• w postaci systemu zdan, twierdzen, praw nauk.
• obok aktów poznawczych (ich tresci i rezultatów)
  wyróznia sie
• przedmiot (obiekt), do którego p. zawsze sie
  odnosi (tj. poznawane rzeczy i zjawiska,
  rzeczywistosc), oraz
• podmiot poznajacy (czlowiek, umysl ludzki,
  swiadomosc).

12
competence elaborated

• what is central in language
• abstract set of organizing principles which
• define an area in human cognition
• determine the parameters of Universal Grammar
• various languages are only regarded as settings
  for these parameters
• no interest therefore in the communicative
  functions of languages

13
problems

• language is important ONLY because
• it is evidence for something else
• a faculty in the human mind
• linguistcs is concerned with structural relations
  within the central unit in language
• the sentence
• i.e. with syntax
• this view is far removed from actual experience

14
polskie streszczenie

• przedmiotem badania dla jezykoznawcy nie jest
  dokument tekst jezykowy, lecz sam, pozostajacy
  w dyspozycji czlowieka,
• mechanizm produkowania i rozumienia tekstu,
• tj. kompetencja jezykowa, która mozna pojmowac
  jako
• system regul stanowiacych gramatyke jezyka. Tak
  pojeta
• gramatyka okresla (generuje) nieskonczony zbiór
  dobrze zbud. zdan i 
• wyznacza dla kazdego z nich jeden lub (w
  przypadku wieloznacznosci zdania) wiecej opisów
  strukturalnych.

15
formal and functional grammar

• knowing a language involves more that knowing its
  form
• you have to know the functions of these forms
• units of language therefore do not have form only
• they have also meaning
• linguistic form is functionally motivated

16
functional grammar

• thus linguistics is the study of how languages
  mean
• how they are functionally motivated

17
formal and functional contrasted

• formal grammars are interested in
• identification of particular features of syntax
• with reference to universal and innate principles
  of human cognition
• functional grammars are interested in
• how (social) environment influences language
• how language is shaped by social use
• how it reflects its functions

18
functional contd.

• knowing a language
• includes knowing
• how to express meanings
• appropriate to different contexts of use
• to different situations
• what people mean by the language
• used in actual communication

19
competence revised

• competence is not only
• knowledge in the abstract
• also ability to put knowledge to use
• according to socially established convention.

20
competence redefined

• competence
• inclusion of aspects that reflect the nature of
  language as a communicative resource
• functional grammar
• broadens the concept of linguistic knowledge
• inclusion of both knowledge and ability to act on
  it
• this ability enables us to achieve meaning by
  putting our knowledge to work
• communicative competence

21
competence and performance

• performance
• behaviour (its instances) which results from
• the use of ability
• it is not just a reflex of knowledge.