Language and Communication

1. Language and Communication Part 1

2. Learning Objectives for Language and Communication Unit • 1. Identify key structures of language • 2. Identify what focal vocabularies are and why they exist • 3. Discriminate between the different forms of non-verbal communication • 4. Discriminate between the early ideas of Sapir-Whoft hypothesis and the modern viewpoint. • 5. Identify the differences between non-human primate communication & human language. • 6. Identify how historical linguistics relates to anthropology. • 7. Analyze the impact of colonization as well as globalization on indigenous languages.

3. Language and the Human Species • Language: ______________________ • Importance of language for human life • 1. only ___________capable of speech • 2. avenue of communication & thought concerning ___________________, and ___________ persons, places, things, actions, & events • 3. _____________________aided by language

4. Linguistic Anthropology • Focus on language • social and cultural context • Generally interested in how language can influence • Comparisons • Worldview • Patterns of thought • Multilingualism • World economy

5. Origin of Language • When did language first appear in human evolution? • What evidence can anthropologists use to test hypotheses on the origin of language? • _______________ • ________________________

6. Origin of Language

7. FOXP2 and the Evolution of Language • FOXP2 • Gene _____________________________ • Based on genetic research, the FOXP2 gene is believed to have appear around _______________________ • ______________________________________ • Linguistic & cultural abilities • Sequencing of the __________________shows that this species had FOXP2

8. FOXP2 and the Evolution of Language

9. FOXP2 and the Evolution of Language

10. Non-Verbal Communication • _________________ • ______________________of bodily movements, facial expressions, and spatial relationships • ___________________ can occur, if the understanding is not shared • Touching • Space usage

11. Nonverbal Communication 1. Kinesics: _______________________ ____________________________ • _______________________ • Emotional states • Different meanings in different circumstances • __________________________ • Convey feelings and/or messages via touching another person

12. Nonverbal Communication

13. Nonverbal Communication • 2. Proxemics • Study of how people in _____________ _________________________________ • ____________________ • Meaning conveyed by _________ ____________________

14. Nonverbal Communication

15. Properties of Language • 1. Productivity • Speaker’s ability to create totally ______________________ ______________________________ • A language’s ________________________ can be combined into a infinite number of meaningful sentences

16. Properties of Language • 2. Displacement • Our ability to talk about objects, people, things, and events that are __________________________ • Due to usage of symbols to transmit meanings

17. Structure of Language: Terms • Phonology • _____________________________ • Present & significant in language • Morphology • _________________________________

18. Structure of Language: Terms • Lexicon • Dictionary concerning all ________________ • Organized around __________________ • Lexeme • Minimal unit of language • _______________________ • ______________________

19. Structure of Language: Terms • Syntax • __________________________________________ • ‘Appreciating Anthropology’ page 116 • We will talk about this study later in lecture • Semantics • ___________________________________ • Ethnosemantics: ________________________

20. Structure of Language: Terms • Phonetics • Study of ________________________ • What people actually say • Phonemics • Study of _________________in a language • Phonemes • _________________________________ • Phonetic range – ________________

21. Language, Thought, and Culture • Noam Chomsky • Set of rules ______________________________ • Human brain contains a limited set of rules for organizing language • All Languages = ______________________

22. Language, Thought, and Culture • Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis • Idea that different languages produce ________________________________ • English & Hopi languages

23. Language, Thought, and Culture • Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, continued • Initial ideas centered on ‘all thoughts being constrained, or determined, by language’ • Various studies have disproved this area of the hypothesis – language does not determine thought • Studies have also shown that language does have an influence on thought • ways in which we see the world may be influenced by the kind of language we use

24. Focal Vocabulary • Lexicon – influence on perception • Focal Vocabulary • _____________________________________ • Examples: • 1 • 2

25. Language and Communication • What is the difference between language and communication? • Communication: ___________________ ___________________________________ • If language is unique to the human species, how do other species communication?

26. Communication Among Non-Human Primates • Communication can ______________: • submission, reassurance, aggression, etc. • Communication can include: • _______________ __________________ ________________ Howler Monkey (male): loudest land animals and the second loudest of all animals

27. Communication Among Non-Human Primates • Primates don’t ___________ • Parts of calls are not ___________to get new information • Their calls are _____________ • Proboscis monkey calling