Linguistics: An Overview

1. Linguistics: An Overview
Dr. Manohar P. Joshi
Associate Professor
Dept of English
manoharpj68@gmail.com
Walchand College of Arts and Science, Solapur
www.wcassolapur.org

2. Learning Outcomes
1. This presentation will help acquire the primary
knowledge of Linguistics.
2. This will enable insights into the branches of
Linguistics.
3. It will allow an understanding of Phonetics.
4. It will help understand the basics of Semantics.
Dr. Manohar P Joshi, Walchand College of
Arts and Science, Solapur
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3. Linguistics
Linguistics is a branch of knowledge that deals with a
scientific study of language.
Language is a purely human and non-instinctive
method of communicating ideas, emotions and
desires by means of voluntarily produced symbols.
(Edward Sapir)
Language is a rule-based system of signs. (Noam
Chomsky)
Dr. Manohar P Joshi, Walchand College of
Arts and Science, Solapur
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4. Etymology of ‘Language’
The English word ‘language’ has been derived
from the French ‘langage’, which is said to
have been derived from the Latin ‘lingua’,
meaning tongue.
Dr. Manohar P Joshi, Walchand College of
Arts and Science, Solapur
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5. Network of Language
Language is not a simple entity, it is a network
of different patterns as follows:
1. Patterns of Substance
2. Patterns of Form
3. Patterns of Context
Dr. Manohar P Joshi, Walchand College of
Arts and Science, Solapur
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6. Patterns of Substance
The patterns of substance give rise to Phonic
substance and Graphic substance.
Phonic substance: Sounds - Phonology
English has 44 speech sounds (24 Consonants
& 20 Vowels)
Dr. Manohar P Joshi, Walchand College of
Arts and Science, Solapur
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7. Patterns of Substance
Graphic substance: Signs – Graphology
English has 26 letters of alphabet
(21 Consonant letters & 05 Vowel letters)
Dr. Manohar P Joshi, Walchand College of
Arts and Science, Solapur
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8. Patterns of Form
The patterns of form give rise to a system
under the control of which a language
operates. This system consists in…
Lexis: Words in A-Z Order- Lexicography
Words: English and other languages
Grammar: A finite set of rules and
regulations
Dr. Manohar P Joshi, Walchand College of
Arts and Science, Solapur
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9. A little question?
Dear students, how many branches of
grammar are there?
Dr. Manohar P Joshi, Walchand College of
Arts and Science, Solapur
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10. Answer
Ans. There are two branches of Grammar.
1. Morphology
2. Syntax
Dr. Manohar P Joshi, Walchand College of
Arts and Science, Solapur
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11. Grammar
Grammar is best studied by dividing it into
Morphology and Syntax
Morphology is grammar below words
Words, Morphemes, etc
Syntax is grammar above words
Phrases, Clauses and Sentences
Dr. Manohar P Joshi, Walchand College of
Arts and Science, Solapur
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12. Patterns of Context
Patterns of context give rise to the meaning in
language. There can’t be text (spoken or
written communication) without a context.
This gives rise to a branch of linguistics called
Semantics.
Dr. Manohar P Joshi, Walchand College of
Arts and Science, Solapur
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13. Varieties of Meaning
Semantics consists in the study of meaning(s)
1. Literal- Objective meaning
2. Connotative- Secondary meaning
3. Denotative- Implied meaning
Dr. Manohar P Joshi, Walchand College of
Arts and Science, Solapur
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14. Semantics: Meanings
Let us take an example from William
Wordsworth’s poem “Rainbow”
‘Child is the father of Man’
The word child has three meanings
1. Literal- a young of human being
2. Connotative- a generation of humans
3. Denotative- a symbol of innocence
Dr. Manohar P Joshi, Walchand College of
Arts and Science, Solapur
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15. References
1. Green, David. Contemporary English Grammar, Structures
and Composition. Macmillan India Ltd., 2008
2. Leech, Geoffrey, Deuchar, Margaret, and Hoogenraad,
Robert. English Grammar for Today, Macmillan, 1982
3. Leech, Geoffrey, Svartvik, Jan. A Communicative Grammar
of English, Longman, 2001
4. Crystal, David. A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics,
VI Edition, Blackwell Publishing, 2008
Dr. Manohar P Joshi, Walchand College of
Arts and Science, Solapur
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16. Thank you!
Dr. Manohar P Joshi, Walchand College of
Arts and Science, Solapur
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