Linguistic Anthropology Design Features of Human Language

Defining Language Charles Hockett Attempting to identify the features that are unique to human language Started with thirteen features Charles Hockett (1916-2000)

Design Features of Language Vocal/auditory channel – uses vocal apparatus and ears Broadcast transmission / directional reception – sent in all directions; source can be discerned Rapid fading – signal is (very) impermanent Interchangeability – a person can say what they just heard

Design Features of Language Total feedback – a person can monitor themselves as they speak Specialization – sounds are used only for language purposes Semanticity – signals can be match to meanings Arbitrariness – sounds do not have an intrinsic relationship to their meanings

Design Features of Language Discreteness – sounds are separate units /p/ versus /b/ Displacement – can speak about what is not here and not now Productivity – human language is an open system; new utterances can be made form old ones Traditional transmission – learned from others

Design Features of Language Duality of patterning – meaningless phonemes can be infinitely combined into words / k + æ + t + s / Prevarication –falsehoods, lies, and meaningless statements Reflexiveness – Language can be used to discuss language

Design Features of Language Learnability – a speaker of one language can learn another language Grammaticality – a speaker follows rules when they produce sounds

Which of These Are Unique to Humans?