Introduction to Linguistics- 17.10.07

ORGANISATION

At the beginning of the lecture we had a quite similar procedure compared to the first lecture of “How to Make a Dictionary”.

Firstly Mr. Gibbon and the tutors introduced themselves and the students got the basic information about the lecture and its requirements (attendance, tasks and quizzes, timetable, end of term test).

Secondly it was pointed out that creating a web portfolio is mandatory for every student – support will be provided by the tutors.

Thirdly we got a short overview over the different topics we will deal with in this lecture. The main topics will be: -Language History

-Language in Society

-Language and the mind

-Building Blocks of English and Applying Linguistics.

Having finished the introduction Mr. Gibbon gave some examples what linguistics among other things are about. He explained that once e.g. English and German were not different languages. Approximately 2500 years ago there was no distinction between these two. Looking back 5000 years even more languages which nowadays are obviously different were more or less equal. By mentioning this it was clarified that language is not static at all ->Language is dynamic and has always been changing and developing.

Besides the explanation of languages as something dynamic Mr. Gibbon also introduced the model of the “properties of signs” to the plenum. This model represents that when producing or receiving a text, every individual has its own unique formulation (= text structure) in its mind. Therefore we call it "The world of the mind". The appearance (= media) of the text means that the formulation is represented (e.g. by writing or saying) and so “leaves” the mind and becomes part of "The shared world". The formulation is encoded. The encoded representation of the own formulation can only be understood by somebody else of the shared world who is able to decode it. To avoid a misapprehension it is necessary that addresser and addressee also share the same understanding of the meaning (= semantics and pragmatics) of the appeared formulation.

QUIZ:

(1) Why is a portfolio important?

A web portfolio is a form of "Applied Text Linguistics" and by creating an own web portfolio students

become familiar with an appropriate use of electronic media. An own web portfolio is the best source for

learning for the final exam, because web portfolios enable an easier access and interaction than via paper or

or email.



(2) What should a portfolio contain and how are these components defined?

A portfolio consists of the topic of the lecture, a short personal introduction, a reader's diary ( = summary of

the lecture), a brief evaluation of the lecture, exercises (quizzes and homework) and a glossary composed of

important terms we dealt with in the lecture.



(3) Why should the portfolio be on a website?

The big advantage of an online portfolio is that it is everywhere available where one has access to the internet

and students become familiar with an appropriate use of electronic media.



(4)How do you make a website?

Obviously there is not only one way to make a website. There are several opportunities one can chose (e.g.

www.homepage-baukasten.de or www.blogspot.com etc.)



TASK:

- What are the following, and how old are they?



INDO-EUROPEAN: The Indo-European languages comprise a family of several hundred related languages and dialects, including most of the major languages of Europe, the northern Indian subcontinent (South Asia), the Iranian plateau (Southwest Asia), and much of Central Asia. Indo-European (Indo refers to the Indian subcontinent) has the largest numbers of speakers of the recognised families of languages in the world today, with its languages spoken by approximately three billion native speakers.



PROTO-GERMANIC (500 BC – 50 BC): Proto-Germanic (or Common Germanic) is the hypothetical common ancestor (proto-language) of all the Germanic languages, which include, among others, modern English, Dutch, German and Swedish. The Proto-Germanic language is not directly attested by any surviving texts, but has been reconstructed using the comparative method.
Proto-Germanic is itself descended from Proto-Indo-European (PIE).



OLD ENGLISH: Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon, Englisc by its speakers) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what are now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. It is a West Germanic language and is closely related to Old Frisian. It also experienced heavy influence from Old Norse, a member of the related North Germanic group of languages.



MIDDLE ENGLISH: Middle English is the name given by historical linguistics to the diverse forms of the English language spoken between the Norman invasion of 1066 and the mid-to-late 15th century, when the Chancery Standard, a form of London-based English, began to become widespread, a process aided by the introduction of the printing press into England by William Caxton in the 1470s, and slightly later by Richard Pynson. By this time the Northumbrian dialect spoken in south east Scotland was developing into the Scots language. The language of England as spoken after this time, up to 1650, is known as Early Modern English.



EARLY MODERN ENGLISH: Early Modern English refers to the stage of the English language used from about the end of the Middle English period (the latter half of the 15th century) to 1650. Thus, the first edition of the King James Bible and the works of William Shakespeare both belong to the late phase of Early Modern English, although the King James Bible intentionally keeps some archaisms that were not common even when it was published. Prior to and following the accession of James VI to the English throne the emerging English standard began to influence the spoken and written Middle Scots of Scotland. Current readers of English are generally able to understand Early Modern English, though occasionally with difficulties arising from grammar changes, changes in the meanings of some words, and spelling differences.



- What are the main differences between English and German?

English and German originate from different West Germanic languages. English is originates from the Anglo Frisian Languages and German from Old High German.