Transcript Linguistics & Natural Grammar

Linguistics,
Pragmatics &
Natural Grammar
Chen Lin
Beijing Foreign Studies University
I
The Trend
• 1. The branches, or disciplines, under
the general title of LINGUISTICS as a
science:
1) General Linguistics
Theoretical Linguistics
Applied Linguistics
2) Sociolinguistics
Historical Linguistics
Anthropological Linguistics
Psycholinguistics
3) Grammar
Syntax
Lexicon / Lexicology
Phonology / Phonetics
Semantics / Morphology
Stylistics / Rhetoric
Corpus Linguistics
4) Pragmatics
The study of the use of language in
communication, particularly the
relationship between sentences and the
contexts and situation in which they
are used.
Pragmatics includes the study of:
a. How the interpretation and use of
UTTERANCES depends on knowledge of
the real world
b. How speakers use and understand
SPEECH ACTS
c. how the structure of sentences is
influenced by the relationship between the
speaker and the hearer.
Pragmatics is sometimes
contrasted with SEMANTICS,
which deals with meaning
without reference to the users
and communicative functions of
sentences.
• The general trend today in the
study and research of Linguistic
Science is:
1. More emphasis tends to be put on Applied Linguistics
2. While different scholars continue to pursue their studies
in different individual disciplines each in his own way,
many are trying to coordinate the studies of the various
disciplines for the one general purpose of improving the
way languages are taught, that is, teaching methodology.
3. Hence more and more scholars
of Linguistics, particularly
language teachers, are turning their
attention to the study of Pragmatics
and its application to the classroom
teaching of foreign languages.
• In other words, more and more language
teachers are turning to be more and more
pragmatic, paying more attention to
enabling the students to acquire the real
Integrated Language Capability, to use the
language in real, meaningful communication, instead of just spoon-feeding them
with sheer language knowledge, as many
did in the past.
II. Natural Grammar
• What is Grammar?
Grammar is the description of the
structure of a language and the way in
which linguistic units such as words
and phrases are combined to produce
sentences in the language.
•
Language is used to express ideas.
When you have an idea, you think
of words first, for it is words that
express the idea. But how are
words organized ? That is
Grammar.
•
In other words, Grammar is how
words are combined in a certain
pattern to communicate an idea.
When you use a word, you are
obliged to choose from the
particular grammar patterns
associated with the word.
•
Hence, we can choose from the
vocabulary of a language a certain
number of the most frequently used
words and study how they are used
in patterns, collocations and set
phrases.
•
As Professor John Sinclair puts it:
“Learners would do well to
learn the common words of the
language very thoroughly, because
they carry the main patterns of the
language.”
Let’s take the word for as an example:
I. Patterns
1. for + N(noun, or NP, noun phrase)
This talk is for teachers.
2. for + NP (period of time)
I’ve talked for half an hour.
3. for + -ing
I use PPT for explaining my points.
4. verb+ NP + for +-ing
I don’t blame you for not understanding me.
5. For +NP + to-infinitive
The talk is for you to comment.
6. Be +adj. + for + N + to-infinitive
The talk might be difficult for the students to understand.
7. NP + for + NP + to-infinitive
There’s no need for you to agree with me.
• II. Collocations
1. Phrasal verbs: arrange for, ask for, bargain for, care for,
fall for, long for, look for, plan for, prepare for, provide for,
settle for, etc.
2. Nouns frequently followed by for: time, room, soace,
need, desire, hope, chance, opportunity, reason, purpose,
case, argument, plan, arrangement, search, cure,use, etc.
3. Adjectives often followed by for: good, bad, suitable,
ready, famous, sorry, responsible, thankful,useful, late,
right, wrong, hard, difficult, easy, dangerous, usual,
unusual, possible, etc.
III. Set Phrases
for ages, for long, for now, be
all for, for all, but for, as for, for
the time being, for God’s sake,
what for (for what)? etc.
The promoters of this way of
learning the English Grammar call
it NATURAL GRAMMAR, for
they believe one can learn the
English language naturally,
through its most frequently used
words.
However, the argument will be: Can we BEGIN
our learning of the English grammar in this way?
Perhaps not. The teaching of Natural Grammar
should be well coordinated with the teaching of
Traditional Grammar (School Grammar) and
Lexical-Functional-Grammar. For the students
who have had a systematic training in Traditional
Grammar would benefit well in the learning of
Natural Grammar as an effective consolidation.