Language as element of Human Evolution Tools Tools Bipedalism Bipedalism Premature birth, and long dependency period of infants Premature birth, and long dependency period of infants Language Language

What language is What language is Humans have highly elaborate codes called language, made of words & rules that combine to make sense Humans have highly elaborate codes called language, made of words & rules that combine to make sense Language code could be sounds units, meaningful units, eg, words or phrases etc Language code could be sounds units, meaningful units, eg, words or phrases etc To decode a message is to react to a message in ways that reflect the way the sender intended To decode a message is to react to a message in ways that reflect the way the sender intended

Two approaches to study language Two approaches to study language Theoretical Linguistics- concerned with the form& structure of language Theoretical Linguistics- concerned with the form& structure of language Linguistic anthropology- seeks to make sense of social and cultural context in which people speak Linguistic anthropology- seeks to make sense of social and cultural context in which people speak o Goes beyond analysis of language structure & pattern of language to look at : o the contexts, and how we use words, o How do we use language to control or influence others? o What accounts for different accents, o does the different words we use affect our different experiences?

uniqueness of human language uniqueness of human language Displacement / Human language is open/digital Duality of patterning ( sound and meaning) The arbitrariness of language (no necessary relationship between sound & meaning) Universal grammar (Chomskian theory of universal grammer).

Phonological /phonemic systems Phoneme- each distinct sound humans make Phoneme- each distinct sound humans make Phonemic analysis- When native speaker works out the different sounds in words, with different meanings Phonemic analysis- When native speaker works out the different sounds in words, with different meanings Morpheme- smallest unit of word( walk/ walked Morpheme- smallest unit of word( walk/ walked

Two dimensions of language Two dimensions of language Sound and Meaning Sound and Meaning Phonetics- All the sounds that humans make Phonetics- All the sounds that humans make bit/bite bit/bite Lit/light/lite Lit/light/lite Hit/height Hit/height  Bit/pit- differences in sound, differences in meaning  Minimal pairs

How to communicate How to communicate To communicate, a receiver must detect the senders’ message To communicate, a receiver must detect the senders’ message Examples of sender’s messages: fear, hungar or sexual receptivity( internal state) or presence of danger Examples of sender’s messages: fear, hungar or sexual receptivity( internal state) or presence of danger All messages are placed in codes All messages are placed in codes

Saussure& Semiotics Humans communicate through symbols: words, gestures or things that stand, or point to something else Humans communicate through symbols: words, gestures or things that stand, or point to something else Symbols are vehicles of meanings eg Symbols are vehicles of meanings eg raised hand signifier = Signifies “ We are number one” Symbols influence behavior eg. Traffic signs command us to stop, speed etc Symbols influence behavior eg. Traffic signs command us to stop, speed etc

The arbitrariness of language The arbitrariness of language No necessary connection between symbols and the things they symbolize: No necessary connection between symbols and the things they symbolize:  Is a matter of convention or intentionality  Is by custom that the rose represents a particular kind of flower  Is by stipulation( not out of necessity) that the + points to their referents

Language & Communication Language & Communication Communication- behavior that affects behaviors of others by the transmission of information Communication- behavior that affects behaviors of others by the transmission of information When a machine or organism communicates, it sends messages about itself or its environment When a machine or organism communicates, it sends messages about itself or its environment The result of communication is change The result of communication is change

Themes that Concern L. Anthropologists Language and ethnicity, Language and ethnicity, Education, Education, Nations and Nationalism Nations and Nationalism Gender Gender