LCS

• Language sets people apart from all other creatures
• Every known human society has had a language
• Nonhumans may communicate in complex ways, but not as advanced as human language
• Difficult to conceive of a human society without a language
• Five basic components of language:
• Phonology: study of speech structure within a language, including phonemes
• Phonemes are the smallest units of sound that make up a language
• Morphology: study of the smallest units of meaning, morphemes
• Example: "cats" is made up of "cat" and "-s"
• Syntax: order or arrangement of words and phrases to form proper sentences
• Basic syntax follows a subject + verb + direct object formula
• Semantics: study of how language conveys meaning
• Can be applied to entire texts or single words
• Example: "destination" and "last stop" have subtle shades of meaning
• Pragmatics: ways in which language community members achieve goals using language
• Example: different ways of asking someone to open a door
• Macro-skills in communication:
• Listening: about hearing and perceiving others' opinions and facts
• Speaking: vital for self-expression and survival
• Reading: key to social progress and education
• Writing: fundamental for expressing ideas and facts
• Viewing: perceiving, examining, interpreting visual images to improve comprehension
• Importance of macro-skills in communication for language learning and teaching
• Language acquisition:
• Most impressive aspect of human development psychologically and cognitively
• Normal human beings acquire the language they first encounter as children
• Differences between first language and subsequent languages acquired