1 Introduction Discussion #1

2 Reminder: Remember that what we want here is discussion, not just repetition of what the textbook or professor has said.

3 Q1: Give examples of each of the levels of language in English, Mandarin, or any other language that you know. Explain your examples.

4 Q2: Give examples from your own life and experience to show that language is social and cultural. See if you can find examples in which language form is affected by social factors.

5 Q3: Below are some common, though probably mistaken, ideas about language. What do you think about each one? What kind of linguistic evidence would we need to disprove (or prove) each one? French is the most beautiful language. British English is better than American English. Some languages are primitive, with simple vocabulary and grammar. Mandarin has no grammar. The Japanese language came from Chinese. Women generally speak better than men.