西方语言学简史1.ppt

Selected Readings for a Short History of Western LinguisticsTeaching contents(教学内容）1.John Lyons. Linguistics: the Scientific Study of Language. 选自《理论语言学导论》.2. Oswald and Tzvetan.Shools.选自《语言科学百科词典》.3. Richard Hudson. Some Recent Trends in Linguistics.选自《英语词语法》Teaching goal of this course1.Uderstanding the historical development of western linguistics.2.Equip you with the necessary linguistic glossaries in preparation for your future study.3.Achieve your English proficiency. Teaching methods 1.Theoretical explanation2.Adding necessary extended material to deepen the understanding3.Your understanding in your own wordsRequirements from the teacher1.Lesson preparation before class2.Note-taking in class3.Lesson-reviewing after class1.1 Introductoryby Lyons.J. From Introduction to Theoretical linguisticsA book reviewI've read lots of both applied and theoretical linguistics books and this one is by far the best intro to the theoretical areas. Very well written and understandable despite the quite respectable level of technical discussion and scholarship. After reading this book you will be in excellent shape to tackle more advanced topics and books. Lyons covers all the major areas, from phonetics to structural linguistics and transformational grammar. Altogether a superb introduction and although now a true classic (having been published in 1968), one which I've never seen surpassed. Other works:1.Language and Linguistics2.Semantics3.Linguistic semantics: an Introduction 1.1.1 Definition of linguisticsLinguistics: the scientific study of language.an investigation based on controlled and empirically verifiable observations, governed by some general theory of language-structure. based on scientific testing or practical experience, not on ideasdeliberately done in a particular way, or made to have particular qualitiesto be able to discover whether a something is correct or trueSo what’s the comprehensive and explanatory definition of “linguistics” in Chinese?语言学是在某一关于语言结构的理论指导下，语言学是在某一关于语言结构的理论指导下，对语言进行的（研究过程）可控的、实证性的对语言进行的（研究过程）可控的、实证性的调查研究，且（其研究结果）是可验证的。

调查研究，且（其研究结果）是可验证的Extended exerciseDefinition of linguistics If we take linguistics to be the scientific studyof language, our next question then comes: whatis Language?Language is the most important toolfor human communication.What’s the deficiencyin this definition?Far from a definition, this only tells us what language does, or what it is used for, i.e.its function.Language: the system of human communication which consist of the structured arrangement of sounds into large units, e.g. MORPHEMEs, WORDs,SENTENCEs,UTTERANCEs(Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics)Compared with the first definition, what’s the distinguishing characteristics of this one?a system ( the defining characteristic)for human communication (its function)structured arrangement. (its configuration)Language is a purely human and non-instinctivemethod of communicating ideas, emotions and desires by means of voluntarily producedsymbols. ---Sapir, 1921.From now on I will consider language To be a set (finite or infinite) of sentences,Each finite in length and constructed Out of a finite set of elements.------Chomsky, 1957Language, language,What’s language.Who knows?Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for humancommunication. 1.Language is a system2.Language is arbitrary3. Language is vocal 4.Language is human -specific语言是由任意性有语言是由任意性有声符号组成的人类声符号组成的人类交际系统。

交际系统1.1.2 Linguistic terminologyQ: Is the jargon of modern linguisticsunnecessarily complex?Of course not. But why?(1)Every science has its own technical vocabulary. The technical terms use by linguists arise in the course of their work .(2) New terms are needed because the non-technical employment of many of the terms has rendered them insufficiently precise for scientific purposes.(3)Modern linguistics has in certain respects advanced beyond other disciplines in its attempts to construct a general theory of language-structure. If the technical terminology in linguistics is indispensable, why is there so much criticism that modern linguistics is unnecessarily complex? To the layman, who takes on trust the established science, esp. the “natural” sciences, and doesn’t question their right to furnish themselves with special vocabularies, Linguistics, as a branch of social science, seemto have no urge to create so many technical terms.The use of a special vocabulary eliminatea good deal of ambiguity and possible Misunderstanding in the discussion of Language.Puzzling terms:1.Traditional grammar: a grammar which is usually based on earlier grammars of Latin or Greek and applied to some other language, often inappropriately. Theses grammars were often notional and prescriptive. 2.traditional: a.在语言学中，该术语通常与在语言学中，该术语通常与“grammar”相关，相关，通常带有贬义，通常带有贬义，指前语言学时代的一套程序和规定，指前语言学时代的一套程序和规定，特别指特别指18和和19世纪各欧洲学派的语法。

世纪各欧洲学派的语法这类语法的特点是：强调正确性和规定性，这类语法的特点是：强调正确性和规定性，采用拉丁语的模型，采用拉丁语的模型，注重书面语等现代语言学注意的则是描写的精确性注重书面语等现代语言学注意的则是描写的精确性 b. traditional 也用来指也用来指20世纪初北欧语法学家世纪初北欧语法学家编写的一些描写性语法手册编写的一些描写性语法手册（比如奥托（比如奥托.叶斯帕森的叶斯帕森的《《基于历史原则原则的现代英语语法基于历史原则原则的现代英语语法》》），），有时还用来指早期的生成语法有时还用来指早期的生成语法Objective approach to languageQ: Why is the chief difficulty facing the personwho comes new to the study of linguistics is thatof being prepared to look at language objectively?1.Common-sense attitude with language because of our practical familiarity with language 2.Social and nationalistic prejudice associated with language3.Popular misconceptions of languagefostered by the distorted version of traditional grammar.Extended question:What’s the best way out to investigate languageobjectively now? 1.1.4 History of linguisticsWhy should we study the history of linguistics?Linguistics, like any other science, builds onthe past; and it does so, not only by challenging and refuting traditional doctrines, but also by developing and reformulating them What can we learn by grasping the history of linguistics?1.To free us of certain commonly held misconceptions about language.2.To understand the principles and assumptions governing modern linguistics.3.To emphasize the continuity of Western linguistic theory from earliest times to the present day, which has been neglected by a lot of recent works on linguistics.In the process of readingthe earlier history of Western linguistics ,we will find it obscure and controversial. Why?This is mainly due to the fact thatmost of the original sources have disappeared: from what has survivedit is clear that ,although one can trace a continuous line of developmentfrom Plato and the Sophists to the Medieval Schoolmen, throughout this period there were many individual grammarians who werecapable of original thought. Supplementary materials Sophist 智者 起初指任何的聪明人，如诗人、先知、圣哲等。

在公元5世纪的希腊，Sophist专指一些专门教师，从一个城邦到另一个城邦，向希腊青年教授在谋求政治生涯时必需的修辞学和语言学智者们向学生智者们向学生收费 一个世纪后，Sophist开始具有贬义，这源于柏拉图和亚里士多德他们指责智者从教学活动他们指责智者从教学活动中赚钱中赚钱，并只教那些可在论辩中取胜的技巧而忽略更高的价值在柏拉图的对话录中，智者都是讥笑的对象One can trace a continuousLine of development fromPlato and the Sophist to the Medieval schoolman.2.Metaphysics （形而上学） 这一术语“ta meta ta phusika” （直译为“在物理学之后”），本意是用来做亚里士多德的一集作品的标题的在这集作品中，亚里士多德研究的是先于或者说是高于物理对象的事物，为我们直观上所相信的东西进行解释 亚里士多德将自己的这类研究称为“第一哲学”或者sophia(智慧），即关于终极原因和原则的科学 The traditional theoryof “the part of speech”,and the standard definitionsof classical grammar, reflects,as we shall see in due course,ancient and medieval attemptsto force together the categoriesof categories of grammar, Logic and metaphysics. 因此，metaphysics 用来指不可感的事物，或者是科学方法范围之外的事物。

在理性主义传统中在理性主义传统中，metaphysics 指由纯理性所操作的、对超越感观知觉的内在实在性研究笛卡儿、斯宾诺莎、莱布尼茨、康德、卡尔纳普、海德格尔、斯特劳森、黑格尔对metaphysics 都有研究在与马克思主义有关的专门意义上在与马克思主义有关的专门意义上，metaphysics被看作是一种片面的、静止的和孤立的思维方式，与黑格尔的辩证法相对立summary1.The definition of linguistics2.The definition of language3.Is the jargon of linguistics unnecessarily complicated?。