1. Knowledge of Language Competence
Sound system (Phonetics & Phonology)
Word structure and formation (Morphology)
Phrase structure and sentence formation (Syntax)
Meaning (Semantics)
=> Mental Grammar

2. Knowledge of the Sound System
Wug Test
wug hiff
zeed crav
stope thak
slet frob

3. Plural Forms? wugs “s”=[z] zeeds “s”=[z] slets “s”=[s] hiffs “s”=[s]
cravs “s”=[z]
frobs “s”=[z]
stopes “s”=[s]
thaks “s”=[s]

4. Rules Plural form is [z] after [g, d, b, v]
Plural form is [s] after [k, t, p, f]
Plural = [z] after voiced sounds
Plural = [s] after unvoiced sounds
Knowledge of language includes phonological rules.

5. Knowledge of Word Formation
employ employ-er employ-ee
interview interview-er interview-ee
read read-able un-read-able
do do-able un-do-able

6. Creative Formation of New Words
shush shush-er shush-ee
un-shush-able

7. Knowledge of Structure
Jane will go to the beach tomorrow.
=> Will Jane go to the beach tomorrow?
What is the rule?

8. More Complicated Examples
Dick and Jane will go to the beach tomorrow.
=> Will Dick and Jane go to the beach tomorrow?
The girl who is absent today will go to the beach tomorrow.
=> Will the girl who is absent today go to the beach tomorrow?

9. Knowledge of Meaning
The relationship between sound and meaning is arbitrary.
house (English)
bahay (Tagalog)
ie (Japanese)
sapah (Seediq)
jia (Mandarin)
Knowledge of language includes a mental lexicon.

10. Prescriptive Grammar Artificially imposed standard or norm
Ex: Do not split an infinitive.
Yes: ‘To go boldly where ….’
No: ‘To boldly go where ….’

11. Descriptive Grammar Characterization of the rules of natural language
‘To go boldly where ….’
=> Adverb modifies only the VP.
‘To boldly go where ….’
=> Adverb modifies the subject.

12. Prescriptive grammar:
=> Not the goal of linguistic study
Descriptive grammar:
=> Linguists’ object of study