Notes on Language Theories for UGC NET Examination

1. Introduction to Language Theories

Language theories attempt to explain how language is acquired, structured, processed, and evolves. These theories encompass various domains including linguistics, psychology, sociology, and neuroscience.

2. Theories of Language Acquisition

• Behaviorist Theory:

  • Proponents: B.F. Skinner.
  • Key Concepts: Language learning through imitation, reinforcement, and conditioning.
  • Criticism: Does not account for the creativity and generativity of language use.

• Nativist Theory:

  • Proponents: Noam Chomsky.
  • Key Concepts: Innate linguistic ability; the presence of a Universal Grammar (UG).
  • Language Acquisition Device (LAD): Hypothetical brain mechanism predisposing humans to acquire language.
  • Criticism: Underestimates the role of social interaction and environment.

• Interactionist Theory:

  • Proponents: Lev Vygotsky, Jerome Bruner.
  • Key Concepts: Language development through social interaction and cognitive development.
  • Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD): The difference between what a learner can do without help and what they can achieve with guidance.
  • Criticism: Lack of precise mechanisms on how social interactions shape language learning.

• Cognitive Theory:

  • Proponents: Jean Piaget.
  • Key Concepts: Language acquisition linked to stages of cognitive development.
  • Criticism: Does not fully explain the linguistic phenomena that appear independently of cognitive development stages.

• Connectionist Theory:

  • Proponents: Rumelhart, McClelland.
  • Key Concepts: Language learning through neural networks and the strengthening of connections.
  • Criticism: Complexity of neural modeling and its applications to real-life language acquisition.

Notes on Language Theories for UGC NET Examination

3. Theories of Language Structure and Use

• Structuralism:

  • Proponents: Ferdinand de Saussure.
  • Key Concepts: Language as a system of signs; focus on the underlying structure of language.
  • Langue vs. Parole: Langue refers to the abstract system of language, while parole refers to actual spoken language.

• Generative Grammar:

  • Proponents: Noam Chomsky.
  • Key Concepts: Language governed by a set of rules (grammar) that generate all possible sentences in a language.
  • Deep Structure vs. Surface Structure: Deep structure represents core semantic relations, while surface structure represents the syntax that is spoken or written.

• Functionalism:

  • Proponents: M.A.K. Halliday.
  • Key Concepts: Language as a tool for social interaction; focus on functions of language in context.
  • Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL): Analyzes language through its social functions.

• Cognitive Linguistics:

  • Proponents: George Lakoff, Ronald Langacker.
  • Key Concepts: Language as an integral part of cognition; emphasis on meaning and conceptual structures.
  • Conceptual Metaphor Theory: Understanding abstract concepts through metaphorical thinking based on physical experiences.

• Sociolinguistics:

  • Proponents: William Labov, Dell Hymes.
  • Key Concepts: Relationship between language and society; focus on language variation and change.
  • Communicative Competence: The ability to use language appropriately in various social contexts.

Notes on Language Theories for UGC NET Examination

4. Theories of Language Processing

• Psycholinguistics:

  • Focus: How the brain processes language.
  • Key Areas: Language comprehension, language production, and language acquisition.
  • Models:
    • Interactive Model: Processing involves interaction between different levels of information (lexical, syntactic, semantic).
    • Modular Model: Processing occurs in independent modules (e.g., Fodor’s Modularity of Mind).

• Connectionism:

  • Proponents: James McClelland, David Rumelhart.
  • Key Concepts: Language processing through neural networks and distributed representations.
  • Parallel Distributed Processing (PDP): Information processed simultaneously across networks of neurons.

5. Theories of Language Change

• Historical Linguistics:

  • Focus: Study of language change over time.
  • Key Concepts:
    • Sound Change: Systematic changes in phonetics and phonology (e.g., Grimm’s Law).
    • Semantic Change: Evolution in word meanings (e.g., amelioration, pejoration).
    • Morphological Change: Alterations in word structures and forms.

• Sociolinguistic Theory of Language Change:

  • Proponents: William Labov.
  • Key Concepts: Language change influenced by social factors like age, gender, socio-economic status.

• Lexical Diffusion:

  • Proponents: William Wang.
  • Key Concepts: Sound changes spread gradually through the lexicon.

Notes on Language Theories for UGC NET Examination

6. Theories of Language and Thought

• Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis (Linguistic Relativity):

  • Proponents: Edward Sapir, Benjamin Lee Whorf.
  • Key Concepts: The structure of a language affects its speakers' world view or cognition.
  • Linguistic Determinism: Strong version suggesting language determines thought.
  • Linguistic Relativity: Weaker version suggesting language influences thought.

• Universal Grammar:

  • Proponents: Noam Chomsky.
  • Key Concepts: Innate, universal principles of grammar shared by all humans.
  • Parameter Setting: Differences among languages are due to variations in parameter settings.

Notes on Language Theories for UGC NET Examination

7. Applied Linguistics Theories

• Second Language Acquisition (SLA) Theories:

  • Krashen’s Monitor Model: Five hypotheses including the Input Hypothesis (comprehensible input is key to language learning).
  • Sociocultural Theory: Vygotsky’s emphasis on social interaction and cultural context in learning.

• Translation Studies:

  • Skopos Theory: Focuses on the purpose (skopos) of translation.
  • Dynamic Equivalence: Emphasis on conveying the same meaning rather than a word-for-word translation.

Notes on Language Theories for UGC NET Examination

8. Ecological Linguistics

• Focus: Relationship between language and environment.
• Key Concepts: Language reflects and affects ecological relationships.