Introduction to Applied Linguistics



Applied Linguistics (ENG 360 and ENG 364)

Handout Chapter 3

• Language and Languages:

o Language is “singular” but yet we have many languages around the world.

o We cannot understand other languages unless:

▪ We try to learn them.

▪ Hire someone to provide us with the translation

• Attitudes to languages

o Any native speaker regard language as part of his/her own personality, but yet he/she allows other people to learn his/her language.

o Native speakers believe that even when people learn their language, they cannot use it as they do since for them it is their own language and for others it is a foreign language.

o While, linguists see languages as a system of particular rules to serve the purpose of human communication, ordinary people see language as part of their own heritage.

o Even when people speak the same language that does not mean that they all the time can understand each other since certain dialects are only understood by its speakers. For example Moroccan Arabic is called Arabic but not understood by most of Arabs.

• The languages of the nations:

o Languages are compared according to:

▪ Number of speakers

▪ Geographical distribution.

o The term language death means that any one in the world does not speak a particular language any more.

o Monolingualism and Multilingualism.

• The growth of English:

o Problems that face any linguist trying to study any language:

▪ Ownership.

▪ Stereotyping.

▪ Unequal distribution.

▪ Power.

▪ Individual and societal multilingualism.

o Why English spread in recent years:

▪ Spread of international communication.

▪ International companies.

▪ US power and influence.

o The need for TEFL. Why?

o Problems that occur because of the growth of English:

▪ Who owns English?

▪ The increase of authority of English native speakers.

▪ How to judge language?

▪ Being a native speaker:

• Acquire language naturally.

• Issues of expertise. (Know what is not acceptable)

• Issues of loyalty.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download