Radboud University
The Study of
Language
Summary CH 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11
Engelman, M.A. (Maud)
2-11-2021
,Content
1. The Origins of Language.....................................................................................................................4
The Divine Source...............................................................................................................................5
The Natural Sound Source..................................................................................................................5
The “Bow-Wow” Theory.................................................................................................................5
The “Pooh-Pooh” Theory................................................................................................................6
The Musical Source.............................................................................................................................6
The Social Interaction Source.............................................................................................................6
The Physical Adaptation Source.........................................................................................................6
Teeth and Lips.................................................................................................................................6
Mouth and Tongue.........................................................................................................................6
Larynx and Pharynx.........................................................................................................................7
The Tool-Making Source.....................................................................................................................7
The Human Brain............................................................................................................................7
The Genetic Source.............................................................................................................................7
The Innateness Hypothesis.............................................................................................................7
2. Animals and Human Language...........................................................................................................7
Communication..................................................................................................................................8
Properties of Human Language..........................................................................................................8
Displacement..................................................................................................................................8
Arbitrariness...................................................................................................................................8
Cultural Transmission.....................................................................................................................8
Productivity....................................................................................................................................9
Duality............................................................................................................................................9
Talking to Animals..............................................................................................................................9
Chimpanzees and Language...............................................................................................................9
Washoe...........................................................................................................................................9
Sarah and Lana...............................................................................................................................9
The Controversy.............................................................................................................................9
Kanzi.............................................................................................................................................10
Using Language.................................................................................................................................10
3. The Sounds of Language...................................................................................................................10
Phonetics..........................................................................................................................................10
Consonants.......................................................................................................................................11
Voiced and Voiceless Sounds............................................................................................................11
1
, Place of Articulation.........................................................................................................................11
Familiar Symbols...........................................................................................................................11
Unfamiliar Symbols.......................................................................................................................11
Transcribing Sounds (Not Letters)....................................................................................................11
Manner of Articulation.....................................................................................................................12
A Consonant Chart............................................................................................................................12
Glottal Stops and Flaps.................................................................................................................12
Vowels..............................................................................................................................................12
Diphthongs.......................................................................................................................................12
American and British Diphthongs.................................................................................................12
Subtle Individual Variation................................................................................................................12
4. The Sound Patterns of Language......................................................................................................13
Phonology.........................................................................................................................................13
Phonemes.........................................................................................................................................14
Natural Classes.............................................................................................................................14
Phonemes and Allophones...............................................................................................................14
Complementary Distribution........................................................................................................14
Minimal Pairs and Sets..................................................................................................................15
Phonotactics.....................................................................................................................................15
Syllables............................................................................................................................................15
Consonant Clusters.......................................................................................................................15
Coarticulation Effects........................................................................................................................15
Assimilation..................................................................................................................................15
Nasalization..................................................................................................................................15
Elision...........................................................................................................................................15
Normal speech..............................................................................................................................16
5. Word Formation...............................................................................................................................16
Neologisms.......................................................................................................................................16
Etymology.........................................................................................................................................17
Borrowing.........................................................................................................................................17
Loan-Translation...........................................................................................................................17
Compounding...................................................................................................................................17
Blending........................................................................................................................................17
Clipping.............................................................................................................................................17
Hypocorisms.................................................................................................................................17
Backformation..............................................................................................................................17
2
The Study of
Language
Summary CH 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11
Engelman, M.A. (Maud)
2-11-2021
,Content
1. The Origins of Language.....................................................................................................................4
The Divine Source...............................................................................................................................5
The Natural Sound Source..................................................................................................................5
The “Bow-Wow” Theory.................................................................................................................5
The “Pooh-Pooh” Theory................................................................................................................6
The Musical Source.............................................................................................................................6
The Social Interaction Source.............................................................................................................6
The Physical Adaptation Source.........................................................................................................6
Teeth and Lips.................................................................................................................................6
Mouth and Tongue.........................................................................................................................6
Larynx and Pharynx.........................................................................................................................7
The Tool-Making Source.....................................................................................................................7
The Human Brain............................................................................................................................7
The Genetic Source.............................................................................................................................7
The Innateness Hypothesis.............................................................................................................7
2. Animals and Human Language...........................................................................................................7
Communication..................................................................................................................................8
Properties of Human Language..........................................................................................................8
Displacement..................................................................................................................................8
Arbitrariness...................................................................................................................................8
Cultural Transmission.....................................................................................................................8
Productivity....................................................................................................................................9
Duality............................................................................................................................................9
Talking to Animals..............................................................................................................................9
Chimpanzees and Language...............................................................................................................9
Washoe...........................................................................................................................................9
Sarah and Lana...............................................................................................................................9
The Controversy.............................................................................................................................9
Kanzi.............................................................................................................................................10
Using Language.................................................................................................................................10
3. The Sounds of Language...................................................................................................................10
Phonetics..........................................................................................................................................10
Consonants.......................................................................................................................................11
Voiced and Voiceless Sounds............................................................................................................11
1
, Place of Articulation.........................................................................................................................11
Familiar Symbols...........................................................................................................................11
Unfamiliar Symbols.......................................................................................................................11
Transcribing Sounds (Not Letters)....................................................................................................11
Manner of Articulation.....................................................................................................................12
A Consonant Chart............................................................................................................................12
Glottal Stops and Flaps.................................................................................................................12
Vowels..............................................................................................................................................12
Diphthongs.......................................................................................................................................12
American and British Diphthongs.................................................................................................12
Subtle Individual Variation................................................................................................................12
4. The Sound Patterns of Language......................................................................................................13
Phonology.........................................................................................................................................13
Phonemes.........................................................................................................................................14
Natural Classes.............................................................................................................................14
Phonemes and Allophones...............................................................................................................14
Complementary Distribution........................................................................................................14
Minimal Pairs and Sets..................................................................................................................15
Phonotactics.....................................................................................................................................15
Syllables............................................................................................................................................15
Consonant Clusters.......................................................................................................................15
Coarticulation Effects........................................................................................................................15
Assimilation..................................................................................................................................15
Nasalization..................................................................................................................................15
Elision...........................................................................................................................................15
Normal speech..............................................................................................................................16
5. Word Formation...............................................................................................................................16
Neologisms.......................................................................................................................................16
Etymology.........................................................................................................................................17
Borrowing.........................................................................................................................................17
Loan-Translation...........................................................................................................................17
Compounding...................................................................................................................................17
Blending........................................................................................................................................17
Clipping.............................................................................................................................................17
Hypocorisms.................................................................................................................................17
Backformation..............................................................................................................................17
2
