Linguistics and the Structure of Language

John P. Broderick, Ph.D.University Professor of English

and Applied LinguisticsOld Dominion University

jpbroder@odu.edu

Linguistics is an empirical science: It bases its claims on objective analysis of perceptible data (what speakers of a language say and write) and on what they know about what they say and write.

Thus, linguists are interested in what you know about English. What do you know about English?

First, you know what is not English . . .

Second, you know what is English, to various degrees: For example, are the things that I am about to say English, yes or no?

Flayber aybul shawd velery tay mordodon.

Phonology/Pronunciation/Sounds

Formal Categories:Sounds: about 3 dozen Consonants and Vowels, but not, e.g., German ach or French rue.

Functional Patterns of Arrangement ...... into Syllables:(C) + (C) + V + (C) + (C)(a, so, at, mar, art, slat, mart, smart, . . . but not zbart, ngar, . . .).

holidays the during crowded most are trains the

Morphology/Vocabulary/Words

Formal Categories:Morphemes: numerous Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes, e.g., holi, day, -s, crowd, -ed, train and -s.

Functional Patterns of Arrangement ...... into Words:(P) + (R) + R + (S)(crowded, unbreakable but not edcrowd, ablebreakun)

The trains are most crowded during the holidays.

Syntax/Grammar/Sentences

Formal Categories:Parts of Speech: numerous Articles (e.g., the) Adjectives (e.g., red), Nouns (e.g., book), etc.

Functional Patterns of Arrangement ...... into Phrases, etc.: (Art) + (Adj) + N(the red book but not book red the)

{the train-es are most crowd-ed during the holy-day-es}