Natural language - Revision history

Beza 1598 at 04:20, 9 March 2016

2016-03-09T04:20:04Z

←Older revision		Revision as of 04:20, 9 March 2016
Line 119:		Line 119:
	[[Category:Language]]		[[Category:Language]]
	[[Category:Philosophical logic]]		[[Category:Philosophical logic]]
		+
		+	{{Donate}}

Nick at 08:18, 6 July 2013

2013-07-06T08:18:03Z

←Older revision		Revision as of 08:18, 6 July 2013
Line 100:		Line 100:
	See Also [[Written language]]		See Also [[Written language]]

-	In a sense, written language should be distinguished from natural language. Until recently in the developed world, it was common for many people to be fluent in [[spoken language\|spoken]] or [[sign language\|signed languages]] and yet remain illiterate; this is still the case in poor countries today. Furthermore, natural [[language acquisition]] during childhood is largely spontaneous, while [[literacy]] must usually be intentionally acquired.<~~ref~~>~~Pinker, Steven. 1994. The Language Instinct~~</~~ref~~>	+	In a sense, written language should be distinguished from natural language. Until recently in the developed world, it was common for many people to be fluent in [[spoken language\|spoken]] or [[sign language\|signed languages]] and yet remain illiterate; this is still the case in poor countries today. Furthermore, natural [[language acquisition]] during childhood is largely spontaneous, while [[literacy]] must usually be intentionally acquired.<sup>[]</sup>

	== See also ==		== See also ==

Nick: Protected "Natural language" [edit=autoconfirmed:move=autoconfirmed]

2010-09-15T11:25:49Z

Protected "Natural language" [edit=autoconfirmed:move=autoconfirmed]

←Older revision

Revision as of 11:25, 15 September 2010

Nick: /* Constructed languages and international auxiliary languages */

2010-09-15T11:25:42Z

Constructed languages and international auxiliary languages

←Older revision		Revision as of 11:25, 15 September 2010
Line 81:		Line 81:

	== Constructed languages and international auxiliary languages ==		== Constructed languages and international auxiliary languages ==
-	~~{{Main\|~~Constructed language}}	+
-	~~{{Main\|~~International auxiliary language}}	+	See Also [[Constructed language]]
		+
		+	See Also [[International auxiliary language]]

	Constructed [[international auxiliary language]]s such as [[Esperanto]] and [[Interlingua]] (even those that have [[native speaker]]s) are not generally considered natural languages.<ref>Gopsill, F. P., "A historical overview of international languages". In ''International languages: A matter for Interlingua''. Sheffield, England: British Interlingua Society, 1990.</ref> The problem is that other languages have been used to communicate and evolve in a natural way, while Esperanto was selectively designed by [[L.L. Zamenhof]] from natural languages, not grown from the natural fluctuations in vocabulary and syntax. Nor has Esperanto been naturally "standardized" by children's natural tendency to correct for illogical grammar structures in their parents' language, which can be seen in the development of [[pidgin]] languages into [[creole language]]s (as explained by Steven Pinker in [[The Language Instinct]]). The possible exception to this are true native speakers of such languages.<ref>Proponents contend that there are 200-2000 [[native Esperanto speakers\|native speakers of Esperanto]].</ref> More substantive basis for this designation is that the vocabulary, grammar, and orthography of Interlingua are natural; they have been standardized and presented by a [[International Auxiliary Language Association\|linguistic research body]], but they predated it and are not themselves considered a product of human invention.<ref>[[Alexander Gode\|Gode, Alexander]], ''[[Interlingua-English Dictionary\|Interlingua-English: A dictionary of the international language]]''. New York: Storm Publishers, 1951. (Original edition)</ref> Most experts, however, consider Interlingua to be naturalistic rather than natural.<ref>Gopsill, F. P., "A historical overview of international languages". In ''International languages: A matter for Interlingua''. Sheffield, England: British Interlingua Society, 1990.</ref> [[Latino Sine Flexione]], a second naturalistic auxiliary language, is also naturalistic in content but is no longer widely spoken.<ref>Gopsill, F. P., "Naturalistic international languages". In ''International languages: A matter for Interlingua''. Sheffield, England: British Interlingua Society, 1990.</ref>		Constructed [[international auxiliary language]]s such as [[Esperanto]] and [[Interlingua]] (even those that have [[native speaker]]s) are not generally considered natural languages.<ref>Gopsill, F. P., "A historical overview of international languages". In ''International languages: A matter for Interlingua''. Sheffield, England: British Interlingua Society, 1990.</ref> The problem is that other languages have been used to communicate and evolve in a natural way, while Esperanto was selectively designed by [[L.L. Zamenhof]] from natural languages, not grown from the natural fluctuations in vocabulary and syntax. Nor has Esperanto been naturally "standardized" by children's natural tendency to correct for illogical grammar structures in their parents' language, which can be seen in the development of [[pidgin]] languages into [[creole language]]s (as explained by Steven Pinker in [[The Language Instinct]]). The possible exception to this are true native speakers of such languages.<ref>Proponents contend that there are 200-2000 [[native Esperanto speakers\|native speakers of Esperanto]].</ref> More substantive basis for this designation is that the vocabulary, grammar, and orthography of Interlingua are natural; they have been standardized and presented by a [[International Auxiliary Language Association\|linguistic research body]], but they predated it and are not themselves considered a product of human invention.<ref>[[Alexander Gode\|Gode, Alexander]], ''[[Interlingua-English Dictionary\|Interlingua-English: A dictionary of the international language]]''. New York: Storm Publishers, 1951. (Original edition)</ref> Most experts, however, consider Interlingua to be naturalistic rather than natural.<ref>Gopsill, F. P., "A historical overview of international languages". In ''International languages: A matter for Interlingua''. Sheffield, England: British Interlingua Society, 1990.</ref> [[Latino Sine Flexione]], a second naturalistic auxiliary language, is also naturalistic in content but is no longer widely spoken.<ref>Gopsill, F. P., "Naturalistic international languages". In ''International languages: A matter for Interlingua''. Sheffield, England: British Interlingua Society, 1990.</ref>

Nick: /* Controlled languages */

2010-09-15T11:25:17Z

Controlled languages

←Older revision		Revision as of 11:25, 15 September 2010
Line 75:		Line 75:

	== Controlled languages ==		== Controlled languages ==
-	~~{{Main\|~~Controlled natural language}}	+
		+	See Also [[Controlled natural language]]

	Controlled natural languages are subsets of natural languages whose grammars and dictionaries have been restricted in order to reduce or eliminate both ambiguity and complexity (for instance, by cutting down on rarely used superlative or adverbial forms or [[irregular verbs]]). The purpose behind the development and implementation of a controlled natural language typically is to aid non-native speakers of a natural language in understanding it, or to ease computer processing of a natural language. An example of a widely used controlled natural language is [[Simplified English]], which was originally developed for [[aerospace]] industry maintenance manuals.		Controlled natural languages are subsets of natural languages whose grammars and dictionaries have been restricted in order to reduce or eliminate both ambiguity and complexity (for instance, by cutting down on rarely used superlative or adverbial forms or [[irregular verbs]]). The purpose behind the development and implementation of a controlled natural language typically is to aid non-native speakers of a natural language in understanding it, or to ease computer processing of a natural language. An example of a widely used controlled natural language is [[Simplified English]], which was originally developed for [[aerospace]] industry maintenance manuals.

Nick: /* Areal classification */

2010-09-15T11:25:05Z

Areal classification

←Older revision		Revision as of 11:25, 15 September 2010
Line 68:		Line 68:

	==== Areal classification ====		==== Areal classification ====
-	~~{{Main\|~~Areal feature}}	+
		+	See Also [[Areal feature]]
	The following language groupings can serve as some linguistically significant examples of areal linguistic units, or ''[[sprachbund]]s'': [[Balkan linguistic union]], or the bigger group of [[European languages]]; [[Caucasian languages]]; [[East Asian languages]]. Although the members of each group are not closely [[genetic relatedness of languages\|genetically related]], there is a reason for them to share similar features, namely: their speakers have been in contact for a long time within a common community and the languages ''converged'' in the course of the history. These are called "[[areal feature (linguistics)\|areal feature]]s".		The following language groupings can serve as some linguistically significant examples of areal linguistic units, or ''[[sprachbund]]s'': [[Balkan linguistic union]], or the bigger group of [[European languages]]; [[Caucasian languages]]; [[East Asian languages]]. Although the members of each group are not closely [[genetic relatedness of languages\|genetically related]], there is a reason for them to share similar features, namely: their speakers have been in contact for a long time within a common community and the languages ''converged'' in the course of the history. These are called "[[areal feature (linguistics)\|areal feature]]s".

Nick: /* Typological classification */

2010-09-15T11:24:50Z

Typological classification

←Older revision		Revision as of 11:24, 15 September 2010
Line 60:		Line 60:

	==== Typological classification ====		==== Typological classification ====
-	~~{{Main\|~~Linguistic typology}}	+
		+	See Also [[Linguistic typology]]

	An example of a typological classification is the classification of languages on the basis of the basic order of the [[verb]], the [[subject (grammar)\|subject]] and the [[object (grammar)\|object]] in a [[sentence (linguistics)\|sentence]] into several types: [[SVO language\|SVO]], [[SOV language\|SOV]], [[VSO language\|VSO]], and so on, languages. ([[English language\|English]], for instance, belongs to the [[SVO language]] type).		An example of a typological classification is the classification of languages on the basis of the basic order of the [[verb]], the [[subject (grammar)\|subject]] and the [[object (grammar)\|object]] in a [[sentence (linguistics)\|sentence]] into several types: [[SVO language\|SVO]], [[SOV language\|SOV]], [[VSO language\|VSO]], and so on, languages. ([[English language\|English]], for instance, belongs to the [[SVO language]] type).

Nick: /* Genetic classification */

2010-09-15T11:24:37Z

Genetic classification

←Older revision		Revision as of 11:24, 15 September 2010
Line 52:		Line 52:

	==== Genetic classification ====		==== Genetic classification ====
-	~~{{Main\|~~Language family}}	+
		+	See Also [[Language family]]

	The world's languages have been grouped into families of languages that are believed to have common ancestors. Some of the major families are the [[Indo-European languages]], the [[Afro-Asiatic languages]], the [[Austronesian languages]], and the [[Sino-Tibetan languages]].		The world's languages have been grouped into families of languages that are believed to have common ancestors. Some of the major families are the [[Indo-European languages]], the [[Afro-Asiatic languages]], the [[Austronesian languages]], and the [[Sino-Tibetan languages]].

Nick: /* Origins of natural language */

2010-09-15T11:24:20Z

Origins of natural language

←Older revision		Revision as of 11:24, 15 September 2010
Line 18:		Line 18:

	== Origins of natural language ==		== Origins of natural language ==
-	~~{{Main\|~~Origin of language}}	+
		+	See Also [[Origin of language]]

	There is disagreement among anthropologists on when language was first used by humans (or their ancestors). Estimates range from about two million (2,000,000) years ago, during the time of ''[[Homo habilis]]'', to as recently as forty thousand (40,000) years ago, during the time of [[Cro-Magnon]] man. However recent evidence suggests modern human language was invented or evolved in Africa prior to the dispersal of humans from Africa around 50,000 years ago. Since all people including the most isolated indigenous groups such as the [[Andamanese]] or the [[Tasmanian aboriginals]] possess language, then it was presumedly present in the ancestral populations in Africa before the human population split into various groups to inhabit the rest of the world.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9503E0DF173CF936A25754C0A9659C8B63&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=1 Early Voices: The Leap to Language nytimes article by] [[Nicholas Wade]]</ref><ref>[http://www.benjamins.com/cgi-bin/t_bookview.cgi?bookid=CELCR%205]</ref>		There is disagreement among anthropologists on when language was first used by humans (or their ancestors). Estimates range from about two million (2,000,000) years ago, during the time of ''[[Homo habilis]]'', to as recently as forty thousand (40,000) years ago, during the time of [[Cro-Magnon]] man. However recent evidence suggests modern human language was invented or evolved in Africa prior to the dispersal of humans from Africa around 50,000 years ago. Since all people including the most isolated indigenous groups such as the [[Andamanese]] or the [[Tasmanian aboriginals]] possess language, then it was presumedly present in the ancestral populations in Africa before the human population split into various groups to inhabit the rest of the world.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9503E0DF173CF936A25754C0A9659C8B63&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=1 Early Voices: The Leap to Language nytimes article by] [[Nicholas Wade]]</ref><ref>[http://www.benjamins.com/cgi-bin/t_bookview.cgi?bookid=CELCR%205]</ref>

Nick: /* Native language learning */

2010-09-15T11:24:08Z

Native language learning

←Older revision		Revision as of 11:24, 15 September 2010
Line 11:		Line 11:

	== Native language learning ==		== Native language learning ==
-	~~{{Main\|~~Language acquisition}}	+
		+	See Also [[Language acquisition]]
	The [[learning]] of one's own [[native language]], typically that of one's [[parent]]s, normally occurs spontaneously in early human [[childhood]] and is [[Biology\|biologically]] driven. A crucial role of this process is the ability of [[human]]s from an early age to engage in [[speech repetition]] and so quickly acquire a spoken [[vocabulary]] from the [[pronunciation]] of words spoken around them. This together with other aspects of speech involves the [[Nervous system\|neural]] activity of parts of the [[human brain]] such as the [[Wernicke's area\|Wernicke's]] and [[Broca's area]]s.		The [[learning]] of one's own [[native language]], typically that of one's [[parent]]s, normally occurs spontaneously in early human [[childhood]] and is [[Biology\|biologically]] driven. A crucial role of this process is the ability of [[human]]s from an early age to engage in [[speech repetition]] and so quickly acquire a spoken [[vocabulary]] from the [[pronunciation]] of words spoken around them. This together with other aspects of speech involves the [[Nervous system\|neural]] activity of parts of the [[human brain]] such as the [[Wernicke's area\|Wernicke's]] and [[Broca's area]]s.