Linguistics Essentials: Language Functions, Varieties, and Sociocultural Impact
Orality: Linguistic Signs and Communication
Linguistic signs articulate sounds made by phonating organs and collected by the ear. Writing is the transcription of these oral signs.
Double Articulation in Language
Language is characterized by two levels of articulation:
- First Articulation: An unlimited number of meaningful units (morphemes or words) are formed by combining a limited number of meaningless units (phonemes).
- Second Articulation: A limited number of meaningless sound units (phonemes) are articulated
Boosting Children’s English Writing Skills
Developing English Writing Skills
Activities like these can prepare children for more creative writing:
Handwriting Fundamentals
When children write, they have to pay attention to several things at the same time. For example, they need to:
- Develop finger control.
- Maintain tidiness.
Leveraging Computers for Writing
For this, children need to:
- Learn the keyboard layout.
- Learn some English expressions for using a computer or email.
The Essence of Writing as a Skill
Like the other three language skills, writing
Read MoreMastering Effective Writing: L.A. Hill’s Principles
L.A. Hill’s Principles of Effective Writing
The principles of good writing, according to L.A. Hill, are:
- Clarity: Your writing should be easy to understand.
- Conciseness: Use only the necessary words to convey your point.
- Precision: Be as specific as possible in your writing.
- Correctness: Your writing should be free of errors.
Cultivating Clear & Logical Thinking for Writers
To write well, a writer must cultivate clear and logical thinking. This involves training oneself to follow problems step-by-step,
Read MoreLanguage Essentials: Morphology and Communication Insights
The Significance of Morphology in Language
Understanding Word Formation and Language Structure
Morphology, as a core linguistic discipline, serves two primary purposes: the creation of new words and the modification of existing ones. Fundamentally, its overarching goal is to deepen our understanding of language itself.
This understanding is particularly beneficial for educators. When words possess identifiable components like prefixes or suffixes, their meanings and functions become more predictable,
Read MoreLanguage Assessment Principles and Test Types
Purposes of Language Testing
Different purposes require different kinds of tests. The purposes of testing discussed in this context include:
- To measure language proficiency regardless of any language courses that candidates may have followed.
- To discover how far students have achieved the objectives of a course of study.
- To diagnose students’ strengths and weaknesses, identifying what they know and what they do not know.
- To assist placement of students by identifying the stage or part of a teaching programme
Principles of Effective Text Construction and Organization
Text Coherence: Ensuring Logical Flow
Consistency means a logical relationship should exist between all parts of a text. The ideas developed should refer to the same theme and be related to each other. A text is coherent when it meets the following requisites:
- Perceiving it as a unit of meaning, not as a set of disjointed information.
- Presenting a logical progression of ideas.
- Maintaining the same theme throughout the text.
- Providing sufficient information without contradictions.
- Referring to events that