雅思阅读真题题源-人文1.9 Some important distinctions in Linguistics.docx

Some important distinctions in Linguistics语言学里一些重要术语的区分Linguistics is a scientific study of language. It is a major branch of social science. Linguistics studies not just one language of any society, but the language of all human society, language in general.语言学是一种对语言的科学研究，也社会科学的一个主要分支。语言学不仅仅研究任何一个社会的一种语言，还研究整个人类社会的一般性语言。2.Some Important Distinctions in Linguistics语言学里一些重要术语的区分（1）Descriptive vs. Prescriptive（1）“描写式”和“规定式”They represent two different types of linguistic study. If a linguistic study aims to describe and analyze the language people actually use, it is said to be descriptive; if the linguistic study aims to lay down rules for “correct and standard” behavior in using language, i. e. to tell people what they should say and what they should not say, it is said to be prescriptive.它们代表语言学研究的两个不同类型。如果语言学研究旨在描述和分析人们实际使用的语言，这就是描写式；如果语言学研究旨在制定一些规则，以使人们在使用语言过程中的行为“正确而标准”，换言之，就是告诉人们应该说什么，不应该说什么，这就是规定式。Linguistic studies before this century are largely prescriptive in the sense that many early grammars were based on “high” written language. It tells the learner what he should say, or what is supposed to be correct usage. On the other hand, modern linguistics is mostly descriptive. Linguistic study is supposed to be scientific and objective and the task of linguists is supposed to describe the languc people actually use, be it “correct” or not.在本世纪之前，语言学研究多半是规定式，因此许多早期的语法是以“髙度的”书面语言为基础的。它告诉学习者应该说什么，或者什么应被认为是正确的用法。另一方面，现代语言学研究大部分是描写式。语言学的研究被认为是科学的、客观的，语言学家的任务被认为是去描述人们实际使用的语言，它也许是“正确的”，也许是错误的。(2)Synchronic vs. Diachronic（2）“共时”和“历时”Language exists in time and changes through time. The description of a language at some point in time is a synchronic study; the description of a language as it changes through time is a diachronic study. A diachronic study of language is a historical study; it studies the historical development of language over a period of time. In modern linguistics, synchronic study seems to enjoy priority over diachronic study.语言存在于时间中，同时随着时间而改变。对一种语言在某