A Course on Linguistics for Students of English
--Cheng Zhenquan
School of Foreign Studies, SCNU
The Goals for this Course
n To get a scientific view on language;
n To understand some basic theories on linguistics;
n To understand the applications of the linguistic theories, especially in the fields of language
teaching & learning (SLA or TEFL), cross-cultural communication……;
n To prepare for the future research work.
The Requirements for this course
n Class attendance
n Classroom discussion
n Fulfillment of the assignment
n Examination
Reference Books
n 戴炜栋，何兆熊，(2002)，《新编简明英语语言学教程》，上海外语教育出版社。
n 胡壮麟，(2001)，《语言学教程》，北京大学出版社。
n 刘润清，(1995)，《西方语言学流派》，外语教学与研究出版社。
n Fromkin,V. & R. Rodman, (1998), An Introduction to Language the sixth edition, Orlando,
Florida: Holt, Ranehart & Winston, Inc.
Chapter 1. Introduction
1. What is language?
Language can mean
n what a person says (e.g. bad language, expressions)
n the way of speaking or writing (e.g. Shakespeare’s language, Luxun’s language)
n a particular variety or level of speech or writing (e.g. language for special purpose, colloquial
language)
n the abstract system underlying the totality of the speech/writing behavior of a community (e.g.
Chinese language, first language)
n the common features of all human languages (e.g. He studies language)
n a tool for human communication. (social function)
n a set of rules. (rule-governed)
Sapir’s definition (1921)
n “Language is a purely human and non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotions
and desires by means of voluntarily produced symbols.”
Hall’s definition (1968)
n Language is “the institution whereby humans communicate and interact with each other by
means of habitually used oral-auditory arbitrary symbols.”

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