What is Language? A system of symbols with standard meanings. All languages consist of Sounds that are used to communicate thoughts and emotions Gestures that are used to communicate thoughts and emotions What’s being communicated in these pictures? Language. . .  is humanity’s calling card.  is the primary way by which we learn  is the palate by which we color our lives  allows humans to communicate and is the main vehicle of transmission of culture.  provides context for symbolic understanding. Anthropological Linguistics  Study of language and the speakers’ use of language  Study of the relationship between language and other aspects of culture & society Language’s Key Features Cat Chat Gato Pungwul Arbitrariness Displacement a r c s h Productivity t l m s Duality of Patterning Studying Language Descriptive Historical Socio (or ethno) linguistics Descriptive Linguistics Structure  Phonology (sounds)  Morphology (words)  Syntax (grammar)  Semantics (meaning)  Grammar (rules) Phonology  The study of sounds of a language.  No human language uses all the sounds humans can make.  IPA – International Phonetic Alphabet  Phonemes and allophones  /l/ and /r/ = phonemes (English has 40)  /p/ and /ph/ = allophones  Other sounds  Tones, nasals, clicks, umms, huh? Historical Linguistics Sociolinguistics Relationship between language & culture Nuer, southern Sudan Sheep Mutton Language, Gender & Racism The Complexity of Language  No primitive languages  Languages have different ways to categorize Food for Thought: Does your language have a word for the back of the knee or the place in the arm that is at the front of the elbow? Silent Language & Symbolic Communication Food for thought: Are there any symbolic gestures in your culture which have a different meaning in North America? Proxemics Proxemics Cultural Time Past oriented Future Oriented Present Oriented Ritualized Phrases How are you? You fat! Behold the waters of life Material Culture Language and Culture