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    Manuel J. Degyan
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    This document discusses the key characteristics and elements of human language. It notes that language is recursive, arbitrary, productive/creative, and a social phenomenon. The elements discussed include phonology, lexicon, grammar (including morphology, syntax and semantics), and cultural load. It provides examples to illustrate recursion in sentences and the arbitrary nature of word meanings across languages.

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    This document discusses the key characteristics and elements of human language. It notes that language is recursive, arbitrary, productive/creative, and a social phenomenon. The elements discussed include phonology, lexicon, grammar (including morphology, syntax and semantics), and cultural load. It provides examples to illustrate recursion in sentences and the arbitrary nature of word meanings across languages.

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    22 views12 pages

    Characteristics of Language

    Uploaded by

    Manuel J. Degyan
    This document discusses the key characteristics and elements of human language. It notes that language is recursive, arbitrary, productive/creative, and a social phenomenon. The elements discussed include phonology, lexicon, grammar (including morphology, syntax and semantics), and cultural load. It provides examples to illustrate recursion in sentences and the arbitrary nature of word meanings across languages.

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    of 12

    Characteristics: Elements and Functions of Language

    ESL 215

    Characterististics:
    A. Recursion

    sentences may be produced with other sentences inside them.

    This is the boy who found the dog that chased the cat that ate the chicken in the kitchen.

    B. Arbitrary
    the relation between a word and its meaning is a matter of convention dog- English perro- Spanish anjing- Bahasa Malaysia aso- Filipino

    C. Productive or Creative
    the ability of the native speakers to understand and produce any number of sentences in their mother tongue

    D. Social Phenomenon - Language is a means of communication between individuals.

    E. Complex - Each language is part of the culture that produces it and is adequate for the needs of the people who use it.

    ELEMENTS
    1. Phonology- the study of sounds 2. Lexis/ lexicon- the study of words and their meanings 3. Grammar a. Morphology- word formation b. Syntax- arrangement of words in a sentence c. Semantics- meaning

    4. Cultural Load- cultural component of a particular utterance , sentence or discourse in a language

    Phonology
    Phoneme- smallest unit of sound that makes a difference in meaning in a language segmental suprasegmental

    Morphology
    Morpheme- smallest meaningful units of a language free bound

    Lexicon
    The janitor polishes the floor. Our mother prepares the food. That driver registers three jeepneys. A guard inspects the building. DET Noun V Det Noun

    Semantics

    The shooting of the hunters occurred at dawn.

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