Language is the product of a number of eras, during which it is formed, enriched, polished. Language is associated with the production activity of a person, as well as with any other human activity in all spheres of his work.
There are many opinions about the definition of the concept of "language", but all these definitions can be reduced to some general idea. Such a general idea is the idea that language is a functional material system of a semiotic, or sign, character, the functioning of which in the form of speech is its use as a means of communication.
Language as an extremely complex formation can be defined from different points of view, depending on which side or sides of the language stand out. Definitions are possible: a) from the point of view of the function of language (or functions of language): language is a means of communication between people and, as such, is a means of forming, expressing and communicating thoughts; b) from the point of view of the device (mechanism) of the language: a language is a set of certain units and rules for the use of these units, that is, a combination of units, these units are reproduced by speakers in this moment; c) from the point of view of the existence of language: language is the result of a social, collective skill of "making" units from sound matter by pairing some sounds with some meaning; d) from a semiotic point of view: language is a system of signs, that is, material objects (sounds) endowed with the property of denoting something that exists outside of themselves; e) from the point of view of information theory: language is a move by which semantic information is encoded.
The above definitions complement each other and partially overlap and duplicate each other. Since in a single definition it is hardly possible to give a sufficiently complete characterization of the language, therefore, it is necessary to rely on the most general definition, concretizing it as necessary with certain special characteristics that are universal. One of the universal characteristics is the consistency of the language.
The iconic nature of the language
The language that a person uses in everyday communication is not only a historically established form of culture that unites human society, but also a complex sign system. Understanding the sign properties of the language is necessary in order to better understand the structure of the language and the rules for its use. The words of the human language are signs of objects and concepts. Words are the most numerous and main signs in the language. Other Language Units are elements of the language system that have different functions. The units of the language include sounds, words, meaningful parts of words, sentences. Language units are also signs. A sign is a substitute for an object for the purpose of communication, a sign allows the speaker to evoke an image of an object or concept in the mind of the interlocutor.
The sign has the following properties:
- the sign must be material, perceptible;
- the sign is directed towards the meaning;
- the content and form of the mark are determined by various features;
- a sign is always a member of the system, and its content largely depends on the place of the given sign in the system.
The above properties of the sign determine a number of requirements of the culture of speech:
- the speaker (writer) must take care that the signs of his speech (sounding words or signs of a letter) are convenient for perception: they are clearly audible, visible.
- it is necessary that speech signs express some content, convey meaning, and in such a way that the form of speech helps to understand the content of speech more easily.
- it must be borne in mind that the interlocutor may be less aware of the subject of the conversation, which means that it is necessary to provide him with the missing information, which, only in the speaker's opinion, are already contained in the spoken words.
- you need to ensure that the sounds of spoken speech and letters of the letter are sufficiently clearly distinguished from each other.
- it is important to remember the systemic connections of the word with other words, to take into account the polysemy - the presence of more than one meaning in a language unit (word, phraseological unit, grammatical form). A polysemantic word distinguishes between direct and figurative meaning, general and particular meanings, common and special meanings. Each of the meanings of the polysemantic word has its own synonyms and antonyms, its own compatibility: fresh bread - stale bread, fresh newspaper - old newspaper, fresh fish - rotten fish.
Thus, knowledge from the field of semiotics (the science of signs) contributes to an increase in speech culture.
- Language sign can be a code mark and a text mark.
- The signs of the code exist in the form of a system of opposed units in the language, connected by a relation of significance, which determines the content of signs specific to each language.
- Signs of the text exist in the form of a formally and in the sense of a related sequence of units. The culture of speech involves the speaker's attentive attitude to the coherence of the spoken or written text.
Meaning- this is the content of a linguistic sign, formed as a result of the display of extra-linguistic reality in the minds of people.
Natural and artificial languages
The signs that make up languages as a means of communication are called communication signs in society. Communication signs are divided into signs of natural languages and signs of artificial sign systems (artificial languages). Natural language signs consist of both sound signs and their corresponding writing signs (handwritten, typographic, typewritten, printer, screen). In natural languages of communication - national languages - in more or less explicit form there are rules Grammar - a system of morphological forms and syntactic structures of the language; a branch of linguistics that studies the formal structure of words and sentences. For the written form of speech, there are also rules fixed in the vaults and reference books Spelling is a historically developed system of correct, uniform spelling of words; rules establishing the uniformity of methods of transmitting speech in writing; a branch of linguistics that studies and develops a system of rules that ensure the uniformity of spellings. Currently, the Russian language has the “Rules of Russian Spelling and Punctuation” (Moscow, 1956).
Artificial languages arose in connection with the development of science and technology, they are used in the professional activities of specialists. Artificial languages include systems of mathematical and chemical symbols. They serve as a means of not only communication, but also the derivation of new knowledge.
Among artificial sign systems, one can single out code systems designed to encode ordinary speech. These include Morse code, marine flag signaling of alphabet letters, various ciphers. A special group is made up of artificial languages designed to control the operation of computer systems - programming languages. They have a strict systemic structure and formalized rules for correlating code signs and meaning, providing for the computer system to perform exactly those operations that are required. Artificial language signs can compose texts themselves or be incorporated into written natural language texts. Many artificial languages are in international use and are included in texts in various natural national languages. Of course, it is appropriate to include signs of artificial languages only in texts addressed to specialists familiar with these languages.
Natural sound language people is the most complete and perfect of all communication systems. Other sign systems created by man embody only some of the properties of natural language. These systems can significantly strengthen the language and surpass it in one or more respects, but at the same time be inferior to it in others. So, for example, the system of mathematical symbols surpasses the natural language in the brevity of information recording, the minimum of code signs. Programming languages are characterized by clear rules and unambiguous correspondence of meaning and form. In turn, natural language is significantly more flexible, open and dynamic. Natural language is applicable to describe any situations, including those that have not yet been described using this language. Natural language allows the speaker to generate new and at the same time understandable for the interlocutor signs, as well as to use existing signs in new meanings, which is impossible in artificial languages. Natural language is known within the entire national society, and not just a narrow circle of specialists. Natural language quickly adapts to the diverse needs of interpersonal interaction of people and therefore is the main and generally irreplaceable means of human communication - the process of interaction between individuals and social groups, in which the exchange of activities, information, experience, skills and results of activities takes place.
Basic language functions
“Being the most important means of communication, language unites people, regulates their interpersonal and social interaction, coordinates their practical activities, participates in the formation of worldview systems and national images of the world, ensures the accumulation and storage of information, including information related to the history and historical experience of the people and personal experience of the individual, dismembers, classifies and consolidates concepts, forms the consciousness and self-consciousness of a person, serves as a material and form of artistic creation ”(Arutyunova ND Language functions // Russian language. Encyclopedia. - M., 1997. S. 609).
- The main functions of the language are:
- communicative (communication function);
- thought-forming (function of embodiment and expression of thought);
- expressive (the function of expressing the internal state of the speaker);
- aesthetic (the function of creating beauty by means of language).
The communicative function is the ability of the language to serve as a means of communication between people. The language has the units necessary for constructing messages, the rules for their organization, and ensures the emergence of similar images in the minds of the participants in communication. Achieving the functional efficiency of communication is impossible without knowledge and adherence to the Norms of the language. The norm of the language is the rules of pronunciation, use of words and forms of language accepted in the social and linguistic practice of people.
The thought-forming function lies in the fact that language serves as a means of forming and expressing thoughts. The structure of language is organically linked to the categories of thinking. The word singles out and formalizes the concept, and at the same time a relationship is established between the units of thinking and the sign units of the language. Speech is a specific speaking, flowing in time and clothed in sound (including internal pronunciation) or written form. By speech, it is customary to understand both the speaking process itself and the result of this process, i.e. and speech activity, and speech works, recorded by memory or writing. The speech of an educated person is distinguished by the clarity of expressing his own thoughts, the accuracy of retelling other people's thoughts, consistency and informational content.
The expressive function allows the language to serve as a means of expressing the internal state of the speaker, not only to communicate some information, but also to express the speaker's attitude to the content of the message, to the interlocutor, to the communication situation. Language expresses not only thoughts, but also human emotions. The expressive function presupposes the emotional brightness of speech within the framework of social etiquette. Artificial languages have no expressive function.
The aesthetic function consists in setting that the message in its form in unity with the content satisfies the aesthetic sense of the addressee. The aesthetic function is characteristic primarily for poetic speech (folklore, fiction), but not only for it - journalistic and scientific speech, and everyday colloquial speech can be aesthetically perfect. The aesthetic function presupposes the richness and expressiveness of speech, its correspondence to the aesthetic tastes of the educated part of society.
Russian as a world language
At the beginning of the XXI century. over 250 million people in the world speak Russian to one degree or another. The bulk of Russian speakers live in Russia and in other states that were part of the USSR. Representatives of different peoples of the world speak Russian, communicating not only with Russians, but also among themselves. Like English and some other languages, Russian is widely used outside of Russia. It is used in various spheres of international communication: in negotiations, at forums of international organizations, in world communication systems (on television, on the Internet), in international aviation and space communications. The Russian language is the language of international scientific communication and is used at many international scientific conferences. Russian is the fifth language in the world (after Chinese, Hindi and Urdu together, English and Spanish), but this feature is not the main one in defining the world language. For the “world language”, it is not the number of those who speak it, especially as a native language, but the globality of the settlement of native speakers, their coverage of different, maximum in the number of countries, as well as the most influential social strata of the different countries... Is of great importance fiction... Russian is studied as a foreign language in many countries of the world. Russian language and literature are studied at leading universities in the USA, Germany, France, China and other countries. The Russian language, like other "world languages", is highly informative, i.e. ample opportunities for expression and transmission of thoughts. The traditional sphere of use of the Russian language outside Russian Federation there were republics within the Soviet Union. After the start of reforms in Russia, the country became more open for international contacts. Russian citizens began to visit abroad more often, and foreigners to visit Russia more often. The Russian language began to attract more attention in some foreign countries. It is studied in Europe and the USA, India and China.
The relationship of the Russian language with the history and culture of the people
Language is not only a system of signs, but also a historically developed form of the culture of a people. Natural language arises as a result of centuries-old efforts of people belonging to one national community to make their speech generally understandable within the framework of the national community. The Russian language has evolved over many centuries. Its vocabulary and grammatical structure did not form immediately. The dictionary gradually included new lexical units, the appearance of which was dictated by new needs of social development. The grammatical structure gradually adapted to a more accurate and subtle transmission of thought following the development of national social and scientific thinking. Thus, the needs of cultural development became the engine of the development of the language, and the language reflected and preserved the history of the cultural life of the nation, including those stages that have already passed into the past.
Thanks to this, the language is for the people a unique means of preserving national identity, the largest source and cultural value.
As W. Humboldt wrote, “language, no matter what form it takes, is always the spiritual embodiment of the individual life of a nation” and moreover “language is the breath, the very soul of the nation”. Thus, the culture of speech is an important part of the national culture in general.
Conclusion
In the modern era, which requires the receipt and processing of a large amount of information, prompt actions, quick decision-making, a specialist needs oral and written skills to be successful in his professional activity.
The famous Russian scientist D.S. Likhachev wrote: “Language is not only the best indicator of culture, but also a person's educator. A clear expression of his thoughts, a rich language, an accurate choice of words in speech forms a person's thinking and his professional skills in all areas of human activity ... If a person can accurately name the mistake he made in his work, then he defined its essence. "
The Russian language is the language of the Russian nation. A nation (lat. Tribe, people) is a historically formed community of people, which is formed in the process of forming a community of their territory, economic ties, literary language, cultural characteristics and character.
National language is a socio-historical category that designates a language that is a means of communication between a nation and acts in two forms: oral and written (Linguistics. Great Encyclopedic Dictionary. M., 1998).
The national Russian language is heterogeneous in its composition, since it is used by people of different social status, cultural level, age and occupation.
Report on the topic “Language as a universal sign system. Basic language functions " updated: August 24, 2018 by the author: Scientific Articles.Ru
Any language, including our native Russian, exists, performing several of its main functions, which are designed to ensure the processes in society:
- communications,
- informing,
- knowledge, etc.
In accordance with these processes, and also thanks exclusively to human properties and the peculiarities of existence - such functions can be combined into a certain system, which we will analyze by examples.
Among the most important modern functions are communicative... Since language has long been used to store and transmit any information, most of such information that circulates in society is presented in its linguistic form. Language plays a predominant role in the communicative function.
The means of expression here can be types of speech: 
As well as non-linguistic means (gestures, facial expressions, etc.).
There is close to her and cognitive a function that performs cognitive tasks, namely: the use of language in order to preserve and subsequently transmit knowledge. 
In the functional system of any language, its cumulative is also represented, i.e. "Cumulative" function, through which knowledge or information is not only stored and transmitted, but also collected, refracted and "sorted".
- For example, in speech or writing, in addition to the exchange of information, we may be puzzled by some influence on the interlocutor. Such a function would be called voluntary and pursue a variety of goals - from persuasion, consolation to exposure, agitation, etc.
- Fully corresponding to the task of emotional impact on a person is emotive the function of language, which acts through the use of special emotional and expressive means in speech - words and intonation. (e.g. interjections - oh, oh, oh)
Communication tasks may not always include the transmission or receipt of information; there are options when only the goal of simple establishment of contacts prevails. In such situations, the speech of communicants can be limited only to phrases - "how are you?", "Come on", words - "uh-huh", "yes", etc.
Did you like it? Do not hide your joy from the world - shareLanguage is not only a system of signs symbolically mediating the human world, but also the most important instrument of human activity.
The following language functions are distinguished:
- communicative;
- cognitive (cognitive);
- nominative;
- accumulative.
Communicative the function of language is related to the fact that language, first of all, is a means of communication between people. It allows one individual - the speaker - to express their thoughts, and the other - the perceiver - to understand them, that is, to somehow react, take note, and accordingly change their behavior or their mental attitudes. The act of communication would not be possible without language.
Cognitive, or cognitive, the functions of language (from Lat. cognition - knowledge, knowledge) is associated with the fact that in the signs of the language the consciousness of a person is realized or fixed. Language is an instrument of consciousness, reflects the results of a person's mental activity.
Any images and concepts of our consciousness are realized by ourselves and those around us only when they are clothed in a linguistic form. Hence the idea of the inextricable connection between thinking and language.
Nominative the function of language is directly derived from the cognitive. The cognized must be named, given a name. The nominative function is associated with the ability of the signs of a language to symbolically designate things.
The world is known and mastered only when it is named. The world without our names is alien, like a distant unknown planet, there is no man in it, human life is impossible in it.
The name allows you to fix what has already been learned. Without a name, any known fact of reality, any thing would remain in our minds as a one-time accident. By naming words, we create our own - understandable and convenient picture of the world. Language gives us canvas and paint.
Accumulative the function of language is associated with the most important purpose of language - to collect and store information, evidence of human cultural activity. A language lives much longer than a person, and sometimes even longer than entire nations. There are so-called dead languages that survived the peoples who spoke these languages. No one speaks these languages, except for the specialists who study them.
The overwhelming majority of the gigantic volumes of information produced and produced by mankind exist in linguistic form. In other words, any piece of this information can in principle be uttered and perceived by both contemporaries and descendants. This is the accumulative function of language, with the help of which mankind accumulates and transmits information both in modern times and in the historical perspective - along the baton of generations.
Summing up this section, you can derive such a formula for memorizing the main functions of the language.
Communicative the function provides social connections, life in society.
Cognitive function provides thinking, cognition and orientation in the world.
Nominative the function helps to name objects and phenomena.
Accumulative the function ensures the accumulation, continuity of knowledge and the existence of a person in history.
The difference between speech and language
The difference between speech and language is expressed in the fact that speech represents an individual mental phenomenon, while language as a system, it is a social phenomenon. Speech- dynamic, mobile, situationally conditioned. Language- a balanced system of internal relations. It is constant and stable, invariant in its basic laws. The elements of the language are organized into a system according to the formal-semantic principle, function in speech on a communicative-semantic basis. In speech, general linguistic patterns are always manifested specifically, situationally and contextually. Knowledge about the language system, which are formulated in the form of rules, can be learned theoretically, while mastering speech requires appropriate practice, as a result of which speech skills and abilities are created.
The original unit of language is a word, and the original unit of speech- a sentence or phrase. For the theoretical purposes of the target language, complete knowledge of its system is important. For practical purposes in high school it is necessary to possess such a volume of linguistic material that is sufficient for limited communicative purposes and is real for mastering it in the given conditions.
Speech is the use of language in communication. The starting point of speech actions is a speech situation when a person has a need or a need to perform a particular speech action. At the same time, verbal communication takes place in any specific conditions: in one place or another, with certain participants in the communicative act. In each speech situation, one or another function of the language is realized in order to achieve the goal for the sake of which the communicative act is performed. So, speech can be characterized as follows: it is a concrete, particular, random, individual, non-systemic, variable phenomenon.
Language is a specific sign system that a person uses to communicate with other people. Thanks to language, a person has a universal means of accumulating and transmitting information, and without this, the development of human society would not be possible. The system of phonetic, lexical, grammatical means, which are a tool for expressing thoughts, feelings, expressions of will, serving as the most important means of communication between people.
Different scientists distinguish a different number of functions of language, since language has many purposes in human society. The functions of the language are not equal. However, the main function is reflected already in the definition of the language. Language- the main means of communication (or communication). In human speech activity language functions are combined in different combinations. In each specific speech message, one function of several may prevail.
Language functions are represented by the following aggregate: communicative(ensuring mutual understanding of people) - the function to be the basis of thought; expressive(express attitude towards what is being said). The dominant position of the communicative function is determined by the frequency of the implementation of the language precisely for the purpose of communication, which determines its main properties.
Availability triple language function: expression, appeal, representation. In earlier terminology: expression, motivation, representation. They actually represent various purposes of speech utterances: representative- message, expressive- expression of emotions, appellate- motivation for action. These functions are no longer only hierarchically correlated (the dominant role in the representative function), but also the presence of a linguistic implementation is allowed with the complete predominance of one of them.
Six functions are defined as orientations, attitudes towards the six elements of the situation. First three: referential(communicative) - contextual orientation (referent), expressive(emotive) - focus on the addressee (expression of the speaker's attitude to what he is talking about), conative(appellative) - targeting. There are also additional, derived from the above triad (and in accordance with the model of the speech situation): phatic(focus on contact), metalanguage(focus on code, language), poetic(focus on the message). The verbal structure of the message depends primarily on the predominant function.
Language and speech functions:
1) in relation to humanity as a whole ( communicative function as unity communication and generalizations);
2) in relation to historically specific societies, collectives communicating (functions as a sphere use of language and speech: functions of servicing everyday communication; communication in the field of primary, secondary, higher education, communication in the business sphere, in the field of science, in the sphere of production, in the sphere of socio-political and state activities, in the sphere of mass communication, in the field of religion, in the field of interethnic, regional and international communication);
3) in relation to the components of the current communication situation: representative, expressive (emotive), contacting (phatic), action function, metalinguistic and poetic, or aesthetic;
4) in relation to the goals and results of statements in specific speech actions, or acts of communication (message, expression of an internal state, request for information, directive function; concretization of these functions in the theory of speech acts).
The most fundamental are communicative function and function of the way of expressing thoughts (cognitive and cognitive function). In the communicative function, there are: 1) the function communication– as the main F.I., one of the sides of the communicative function, which consists in mutual exchange statements members of the language community; 2) the function of the message - as one of the sides of the communicative function, which consists in the transfer of some logical content; 3) the function of influence, the implementation of which are: a) voluntary function - the expression of the speaker's will; b) expressive function - message to the expression of expressiveness; c) emotive function - the expression of feelings, emotions.
3. The concept of "culture of speech". The main features of cultural speech
A culture of speech- knowledge of the norms of oral and written literary language (rules of pronunciation, word usage, grammar and stylistics). It is used in modern science in two main meanings: 1) socio-historically conditioned modern speech culture of society; 2) a set of requirements for the quality of oral and written speech of native speakers of the literary language from the point of view of a socially conscious linguistic ideal, the taste of a particular era. In mastering the culture of speech, they usually distinguish two stages... The first is associated with the development of literary and linguistic norms by students. Possession of them ensures the correctness of speech, which forms the basis of individual K. p. The second stage involves the creative application of norms in different situations of communication, including speech skills, the ability to choose the most accurate, stylistically and situationally appropriate options.
Literacy is traditional sign"cultural" speech. Signs: correctness, purity, accuracy, expressiveness, consistency, relevance, wealth.
4. Forms of existence of the national language .
Language is a complex phenomenon, it exists in several forms. These include: dialects, vernaculars, jargons and literary language.
Dialects are local dialects of Russia, territorially limited. They exist only in oral speech, they serve for everyday communication.
Common speech is the speech of people that does not correspond to the literary norms of the Russian language (ridiculitis, colidor, no coat, driver).
Jargon is the speech of social and professional groups of people united by a community of occupations, interests, etc. Jargon is characterized by the presence of specific vocabulary and phraseology. Sometimes the word argo is used as a synonym for jargon. Argo is the speech of the lower classes of society, the criminal world, beggars, thieves and swindlers.
The literary language is the highest form of the national language, processed by the masters of the word. It has two forms - oral and written. Oral speech obeys orthoepic and intonation forms, it is influenced by the direct presence of the addressee, it is created spontaneously. Written speech is graphically fixed, obeys spelling and punctuation norms, the absence of the addressee has no effect, it allows processing, editing.
5. Literary language as the highest form of the national language .
The Russian literary language is the highest form of the national language and the basis of the culture of speech. It serves various spheres of human activity - politics, legislation, culture, verbal art, office work, etc. Many outstanding scientists emphasize the importance of the literary language both for an individual and for the whole nation. It is noteworthy that not only Viktor Vladimirovich Vinogradov, but also Dmitry Nikolaevich Ushakov, Likhachev emphasized the importance of mastering the norms of the Russian literary language. Wealth, clarity of expression of thought, accuracy testify to the richness of the general culture of a person, to a high degree of his professional training.
In the scientific linguistic literature, the main features of the literary language are determined:
Processing,
Stability,
Obligation,
· Availability of oral and written forms,
· Normalization,
· Availability of functional styles.
The Russian language exists in two forms - oral and written. Oral speech - sounding, obeys orthoepic and intonational forms, it is influenced by the direct presence of the addressee, it is created spontaneously. Written speech is graphically fixed, obeys spelling and punctuation norms, the absence of the addressee has no effect, it allows processing, editing.
6. Linguistic norm, its role in the formation and functioning of the literary language .
The founder of the first Russian philological school is Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov, who put forward the criterion of historical expediency in ordering the norms of the literary language. He differentiated the styles of the literary language depending on the stylistic characteristics of the linguistic units, for the first time defining the norms of the literary language.
Yakov Karlovich Grot was the first to systematize and theoretically comprehend the set of spelling laws of the literary language. For his normative "dictionary of the Russian language" a system of grammatical and stylistic marks was developed.
A new stage in the codification of norms is associated with the names of Ushakov, Vinogradov, Vinokurov, Ozhegov, Shcherva. The norms were formed as a result of the selection of linguistic means in the process of communication and become correct and generally binding. The norm is cultivated in print publications, in the media, in the process of school and vocational training.
Codification of a norm - fixing it in dictionaries, grammars, teaching aids... The norm is relatively stable and systemic, since it includes rules for the selection of elements at all levels of the language system. She is mobile and changeable, can change over time under the influence of the spoken language.
The norms of the modern Russian language are enshrined in the publications of the Russian Academy of Sciences: various grammars and dictionaries.
The terms normalization and codification are different. Normalization is a process of formation, approval of a norm, its description and ordering by a linguist. Normalizing activity finds its expression in codification literary norm- its recognition and description in the form of rules.
The language norms are stable and systemic, but at the same time they are stable. Norms exist at different levels of the language - phonetic, lexical, grammatical. According to the degree of obligatoriness, imperative (strictly obligatory norms) and dispositive (suggesting variants of pronunciation of grammatical and syntactic units) are distinguished. Objective fluctuations in the literary norm are associated with the development of the language, when variants are transitional steps from the outdated to the new. The norm is one of the most important conditions for the stability, unity and originality of the national language. The norm is dynamic, since it is the result of human activity, enshrined in tradition. Fluctuations in the norm are the result of the interaction of functional styles. Such phenomena are closely related to the development of norms. public life as anti-normalization and purism.
Anti-normalization is the denial of the scientific normalization and codification of the language, based on the assertion of the spontaneity of the development of the language.
Purism is the rejection of innovations or their outright prohibition. Purism plays the role of a regulator that protects against borrowing, excessive innovation
7. Norms of orthoepy. Pronunciation of vowels and consonants .
Orthoepic norms are the pronunciation norms of oral speech. They are studied by a special section of linguistics - orthoepy. Maintaining uniformity in pronunciation is essential. Spelling errors interfere with the perception of the content of speech, and pronunciation, corresponding to orthoepic norms, facilitates the acceleration of the communication process.
The basic laws of consonant pronunciation are stunning and assimilation. In Russian speech, there is a mandatory stunning of voiced consonants at the end of a word. We pronounce bread [n] - bread, sa [t] - garden. The consonant g at the end of a word always turns into a dull sound k paired with it. An exception is the word god.
In a combination of voiced and voiceless consonants, the first of them is likened to the second. If the first of them is voiced, and the second is deaf, the first sound is deafened: lo [w] ka - spoon, pro [n] ka - cork. If the first is deaf, and the second is voiced, the first sound becomes voiced: [z] doba - baking, [z] ruin - ruin.
Before consonants [l], [m], [n], [p], which do not have paired deafs, and before v, the assimilation does not occur and the words are pronounced as they are written: light [tl] o, [shv] yryat.
Combinations szh and zzh are pronounced as a double hard [w]: ra [f] at - unclench, [f] with life - with life, fry - [f] aryt.
The combination mid is pronounced as a long soft sound [sh ’], just like the sound conveyed in writing by the letter u: [sh’] astie - happiness, [sh ’] em - count.
The combination zch is pronounced as a long soft sound [sh ’]: order [sh’] ik - clerk, obra [sh ’] ik - sample.
Combinations of pm and dch are pronounced as a long sound [h ’]: report [h’] ik - speaker, le [h ’] ik - pilot.
The combinations tts and dts are pronounced like a long sound ts: two [ts] at - twenty, zolo [ts] e - golden.
In combinations of stn, zdn, stl, consonants [t] and [d] drop out: prettier [sn] th, by [zn] about, che [sn] th, learning [sl] ive.
The combination of chn is usually pronounced like this [chn] (al [chn] th, unpe [chn] th). The pronunciation of [shn] instead of [chn] is required in feminine patronymics in –ichna: Ilyini [shn] a, Nikiti [shn] a. Some words are pronounced in two ways: bulo [shn] th and bulo [chn] th, Molo [shn] th and young [chn] th. In some cases, different pronunciation serves for the semantic differentiation of words: heart [chn] th beat - heart [chn] th friend.
8. Norms of stress. Features of Russian stress .
Improper stress in words reduces the culture of oral speech. Errors in stress can lead to distortion of the meaning of the statement. The features and functions of stress are studied by the department of linguistics, accentology. The stress in Russian, unlike other languages, is free, that is, it can fall on any syllable. In addition, the stress can be mobile (if in different forms of the word falls on the same part) and fixed (if the stress changes place in different forms of the same word).
In some words, difficulties in stress exist due to the fact that many do not know their belonging to a part of speech. For example, the adjective developed. This word is used in the sense of "attained a high degree of development." But in the Russian language there is a participle developed, or developed, formed from the verb to develop. In this case, the stress depends on whether it is an adjective or a participle.
In the Russian alphabet there is a letter ё, which is considered optional, optional. The typing of the letter e instead of e in literature and official papers led to the fact that in many words they began to pronounce on the spot about e: not bile - [jo] lie, but bile - [zhe] lie, not an obstetrician - aku [shor], but obstetrician - aku [Sher]. In some words, the stress was shifted: bewitched, underestimated instead of the correct one, bewitched, underestimated.
9. Pronunciation of loan words .
Borrowed words usually obey the orthoepic norms of the modern Russian language and only in some cases differ in peculiarities in pronunciation.
In the unstressed position, the sound [o] is preserved in words such as m [o] turf, m [o] del, [o] azis. But most of the borrowed vocabulary obey the general rules of pronunciation [o] and [a] in unstressed syllables: b [a] kal, k [a] stum, p [a] yal.
In most borrowed words, before [e], the consonants are softened: ka [t '] et, pa [t'] efon, [s '] eriya, ga [z'] eta. But in a number of words of foreign language origin, the consonant hardness before [e] is preserved: sh [te] psel, s [te] nd, e [ne] rgiya. More often the dental consonants retain their hardness before [e]: [t], [d], [s], [h], [n], [p].
10. Functional and semantic types of speech:
description, narration, reasoning. Description can be used in any style of speech, but in the scientific, the description of the subject should be extremely complete, and in the artistic, the emphasis is on only the brightest details. Therefore, linguistic means in the scientific and artistic style are more diverse than in the scientific one: there are not only adjectives and nouns, but also verbs, adverbs, comparisons are very common, various figurative uses of words.
Examples of descriptions in scientific and artistic style. 1. Apple-tree - purple ranet - frost-resistant variety. Fruits are round, 2.5-3 cm in diameter. Fruit weight 17-23 g. Juice is average, with a characteristic sweet, slightly astringent taste. 2. Linden apples were large and transparent yellow. If you look at the sun through an apple, it shines through like a glass of fresh linden honey. In the middle were black grains. You used to shake a ripe apple near your ear, you could hear the seeds thundering.
Narration is a story, a message about an event in its temporal sequence. The peculiarity of the narrative is that it talks about the following actions. For all narrative texts, the common thing is the beginning of the event (the outset), the development of the event, the end of the event (the denouement). The narration can be conducted from a third person. This is the author's story. It can also go in the first person: the narrator is named or designated by the personal pronoun I. In such texts, verbs are often used in the form of the past tense of the perfect form. But, in order to give the text expressiveness, others are used simultaneously with them: the verb in the form of the past tense of the imperfect form makes it possible to highlight one of the actions, denoting its duration; present tense verbs allow you to imagine actions as if taking place in front of the eyes of the reader or listener; forms of the future tense with a particle like (how it jumps), as well as forms like clap, jumping help to convey the impetuosity, unexpectedness of an action. Storytelling as a type of speech is very common in genres such as memories, letters.
Example of storytelling: I began to stroke Yashkina's paw and think: just like a child's. And he tickled his palm. And the baby will pull his paw - and me on the cheek. I didn't even have time to blink, but he slapped me in the face and jumped under the table. He sat down and grins.
Reasoning- this is a verbal presentation, explanation, confirmation of any thought. The composition of the reasoning is as follows: the first part is a thesis, that is, a thought that must be logically proved, substantiated or refuted; the second part - justification of the expressed thought, evidence, arguments, supported by examples; the third part is a conclusion, a conclusion. The thesis must be clearly provable, clearly formulated, convincing arguments and in sufficient quantity to support the thesis put forward. Between the thesis and the arguments (as well as between the individual arguments) must
be a logical and grammatical connection. For the grammatical connection between the thesis and arguments, it is often used introductory words: firstly, secondly, finally, so, therefore, in this way. In the text-reasoning, sentences with unions are widely used, however, although, despite the fact that, since.
Example of reasoning: The development of the meanings of a word usually goes from the particular (concrete) to the general (abstract). Let us ponder the literal meaning of such, for example, words as education, disgust, previous. Education literally means "feeding", disgust - "turning away" (from an unpleasant person or object), the previous one - "walking in front".
Words-terms denoting abstract mathematical concepts: "segment", "tangent", "point", originated from very specific verbs of action: cut, touch, stick (poke).
In all these cases, the original concrete meaning acquires a more abstract meaning in the language.
11. Functional styles of the modern Russian language, their interaction .
Functional styles are created as a result of the selection of linguistic means depending on the goals and objectives that are set and solved in the process of communication.
The following functional styles are usually distinguished: 1) scientific, 2) formal business, 3) journalistic, 4) colloquial everyday.
The fixation of words for a certain style is explained by the fact that words that have the same meaning can differ in emotional and stylistic coloring, therefore they are used in different styles (shortage is a deficit, a liar is a liar, squander - squander, cry - lament). In everyday life dialogue, characteristic of oral speech, colloquial vocabulary is mainly used. It does not violate the norms of literary speech, but its use is unacceptable in official communication.
The scientific style is characterized by scientific terminology: pedagogy, society, state, theory, process, structure. Words are used in a direct, nominative sense, there is no emotionality. Sentences are narrative in nature, predominantly in direct word order.
The peculiarity of the official business style is a concise, compact presentation, economical use of language means. Typical set expressions are used (we confirm with gratitude; we inform that; in case of occurrence, etc.). this style is characterized by "dryness" of presentation, lack of expressive means, the use of words in their direct meaning.
The characteristic features of the journalistic style are the relevance of the content, the sharpness and brightness of presentation, the author's passion. The purpose of the text is to influence the mind and feelings of the reader, listener. A variety of vocabulary is used: terms of literature and art, general literary words, means of speech expression. Expanded stylistic constructions prevail in the text, interrogative and exclamatory sentences are used.
The everyday conversational style is characterized by the use of various types of sentences, free word order, extremely short sentences, words with evaluative suffixes(week, my dear), figurative means of the language.
12. Scientific style, its features, scope of implementation .
Scientific style - a speech system specially adapted for optimal communication between people in the scientific field of activity.
The scientific style has a number of common features characteristic of all sciences, which makes it possible to talk about the specifics of the style in general. But texts on physics, chemistry, mathematics cannot but differ from texts on history, philosophy, and cultural studies. In accordance with this, the scientific style has subtypes: popular science, business science, scientific technical, scientific journalistic, production technical, educational scientific.
The scientific style is characterized by a logical sequence of presentation, an ordered system of connections between parts of statements, the authors' desire for accuracy, concise, unambiguous expression while maintaining the richness of the content. A number of general conditions of functioning and linguistic features are inherent in the scientific style: 1) preliminary thinking over statements, 2) monologue, 3) strict selection of linguistic means, 4) gravitation towards normalized speech.
The original form of existence of scientific speech is written. Written form fixes information for a long time, and science requires just that.
In writing, it is much easier to operate with complex structures that are used in scientific thinking. The written form is more convenient when detecting the slightest inaccuracies, which in scientific communication can lead to the most serious distortions of the truth. The written form makes it possible to refer to information many times. The oral form also has advantages (synchronicity of mass communication, efficiency of orientation to a specific type of addressee, etc.), but it is temporary, and the written form is permanent. The oral form in scientific communication is secondary - a scientific work is first written and then reproduced.
Scientific speech is fundamentally without subtext, the subtext contradicts its essence. It is dominated by a monologue. Even scientific dialogue is a series of alternating monologues. A scientific monologue takes the form of a work with a thoughtful selection of content, clarity of construction, and optimal speech design.
Scientific speech operates with concepts of a complex nature. A concept is a form in which the essential features of an object are thought. In the terminology of each science, several layers can be distinguished: 1) general categorical concepts that reflect the most general objects of reality: objects, signs, connections (system, function, element). These concepts constitute the general conceptual fund of science; 2) concepts common to a number of related sciences that have common objects of research (abscissa, protein, vacuum, vector). Such concepts serve as a link between the sciences of the same profile (humanitarian, natural, technical, etc.) and they can be defined as specialized. 3) highly specialized concepts characteristic of one science and reflecting the specificity of the aspect of the study (in biology - biogenic, botria, etc.).
Along with the identification of types according to the degree of generality, it is also advisable to distinguish types according to the degree of volume, breadth of the concept. The broadest concepts of this science, in which the most general and essential signs and properties are displayed, are called categories. Categories constitute the conceptual core of science. From them comes a network of concepts of ever narrower scope. In general, they constitute a system of special terminology for this science.
13. Officially - business style. Genre variety, scope of implementation .
Official - business style serves the area of administrative and legal activities. It satisfies the requirements of society in documenting various acts of state, public, political, economic life, business relations between the state and organizations, as well as between members of society in the official sphere of their communication.
Officially - business style is implemented in texts of various genres: charter, law, order, complaint, recipe, statement. The genres of this style perform informational, prescriptive and stating functions in various fields of activity. In this regard, the main form of implementation is written.
The general stylistic features of the official - ice speech are:
· Accuracy of presentation, not allowing for the possibility of other interpretation, detailed presentation;
· Stereotype, standard presentation;
· The obligatory, prescriptive nature of the presentation.
In addition, they note such features of the official - business style as: formality, severity of expression of thought, objectivity and consistency inherent in scientific speech.
The system of official - business style is made up of 3 types of language means:
A) Having an appropriate functional and stylistic coloring (plaintiff, defendant, protocol, identity card, job description.
B) Neutral, interstyle, as well as general book language means.
C) Linguistic means, neutral in stylistic coloring, but which have become a sign of the official - business style (raise a question, express disagreement).
Many verbs are used in the infinitive form due to the prescriptive function of the style. When naming a person, nouns are more often used, rather than pronouns, the designation of a person on the basis of an action (applicant, defendant, tenant). Nouns denoting positions and titles are used in the form male, even when they refer to women (respondent Proshina). The use of verbal nouns and participles is characteristic: the arrival of transport, service to the population, replenishment of the budget.
In official business-style texts, antonyms are often used, synonyms are rarely used. Compound words formed from two or more stems are typical: tenant, employer, the above. Accuracy, unambiguity and standardization of the means used are the main features of official business speech.
14. Publicistic style, its features, genres, scope of implementation.
The journalistic style of speech is a functional variety of the literary language and is widely used in various spheres of public life: newspapers, magazines, on television, in public political speeches, in the activities of parties and public associations.
The linguistic features of this style are affected by the breadth of the topic: it becomes necessary to include special vocabulary that requires explanations. On the other hand, a number of topics are in the center of public attention, and the vocabulary related to these topics acquires a journalistic connotation. Among such topics, it is worth highlighting politics, economics, education, health care, forensics, military topics.
The vocabulary characteristic of the journalistic style can be used in other styles: in the official - business, scientific. But in the journalistic style, it acquires a special function - to create a picture of events and convey to the addressee the journalist's impressions of these events.
The journalistic style is characterized by the use of evaluative vocabulary with a strong emotional coloring (energetic start, firm position, severe crisis).
Publicistic style performs the function of influence and message. The interaction of these functions determines the use of words in journalism. The function of the message by the nature of the use of linguistic means brings the text closer to the scientific and business style, which have features of factual content. The text, which performs the function of influence, has an openly evaluative character, aimed at agitational influence, according to certain parameters, approaching fictional prose.
In addition to the informational and influencing functions, the texts of the journalistic style perform other functions inherent in the language: communicative, aesthetic, expressive.
15... Book and colloquial speech. Their features .
The fixation of words for a certain style is explained by the fact that words that have the same meaning can differ in emotional and stylistic coloring, therefore they are used in different styles (shortage is a deficit, a liar is a liar, squander - squander, cry - lament). In everyday life dialogue, characteristic of oral speech, colloquial vocabulary is mainly used. It does not violate the norms of literary speech, but its use is unacceptable in official communication (the words blotter, dryer are acceptable in colloquial speech, but inappropriate in official communication).
Colloquial words are contrasted with book vocabulary, which includes words of scientific, technical, journalistic and official-business styles. The lexical meaning of book words, their grammatical structure and pronunciation are subject to the norms of the literary language, deviation from which is unacceptable.
Colloquial vocabulary is characterized by concreteness of meaning, book vocabulary is predominantly abstract. The terms book and colloquial vocabulary are conditional, book words typical for written speech can be used orally, and colloquial words can be used in writing.
In the Russian language there is a large group of words used in all styles and typical for both oral and written speech. They are called stylistically neutral.
16. Conversational style
Colloquial speech- this is the oral form of the existence of language. The distinctive features of oral speech can be entirely attributed to the conversational style. However, the concept of "spoken language" is broader than the concept of "conversational style". They cannot be mixed. Although the conversational style is mainly implemented in the oral form of communication, some genres of other styles are also carried out in oral speech, for example: a report, lecture, report, etc. etc. In the field of mass communication, colloquial speech is not applicable. However, this does not mean that the colloquial and everyday style is limited to everyday topics. Conversational speech can also touch on other topics: for example, a conversation with a family or a conversation of people in informal relationships about art, science, politics, sports, etc., a conversation of friends at work related to the profession of speakers, conversations in public institutions, such as clinics, schools, etc.
In the field of everyday communication, there is colloquial style... The main features of the everyday colloquial style:
1. Easy and informal communication;
2. Reliance on an extra-linguistic situation, i.e. the immediate environment of speech in which communication takes place. For example: Woman (before leaving home): What should I wear?(about the coat) This is it, or what? Or that?(about the jacket) Will I freeze?
Listening to these statements, and not knowing the specific situation, it is impossible to guess what they are talking about. Thus, in colloquial speech, the extra-linguistic situation becomes an integral part of communication.
1) Lexical variety: and general book vocabulary, and terms, and foreign language borrowings, and words of high stylistic coloring, and even some facts of vernacular, dialects and jargons. This is explained, firstly, by the thematic variety of colloquial speech, which is not limited to the framework of everyday topics, everyday remarks, and secondly, the implementation of colloquial speech in two keys - serious and comic, and in the latter case, the use of various elements is possible.
2) Colloquial speech is inherent emotionally expressive assessments subjective, since the speaker acts as a private person and expresses his personal opinion and attitude. Very often this or that situation is assessed exaggeratedly: "Wow the price! Go crazy!", "Flowers in the garden - the sea!", "I want to drink! I'll die!" Characteristic use of words figuratively, For example: "You have porridge in your head!" Colloquial vocabulary is heterogeneous:
Vernacular, which is on the verge of literary use, not coarse in its essence, somewhat familiar; For example: potato instead of potato, savvy instead of quick wits, become instead of happen;
Non-literary vernacular, rude, for example: drive up instead of achieve, flop instead of fell;
3. Colloquial vocabulary includes:
Conversational professionalism, slang words ( plezir- pleasure, fun; plein air- nature),
Argotisms ( split- to betray; salaga, salazhonok- young, inexperienced),
Slang vocabulary can be associated with the general age of generations (for example, in the language of youth: spurs(crib), pair(deuce).
All these categories of words have a narrow sphere of distribution, in the expressive plan they are characterized by an extreme reduction.
4. Syntactic constructions also have their own characteristics. For colloquial speech, constructions with particles, interjections, phraseological constructions are typical: "They say to you, they say - and everything is useless!" and so on.
Typical for colloquial speech is silence, incomplete statements, an abundance of ellipses and incomplete sentences, numerous repetitions, inserted constructions, the predominance of compositional sentences over subordinate ones, the dialogical nature of the statement.
Colloquially presented:
Frozen structures that do not lend themselves to distinct division ( what is true is true; what is harmful is harmful);
constructions with unmanaged forms ( order with homework);
- "dismemberment" and connecting structures ( I respect her - for her honesty and integrity; I'm going home. To granddaughter);
Offset clauses ( I don't know where to get water anyway) and etc.
§ 12. Language as a social phenomenon, as the most important means of human communication, performs a number of social functions in people's lives.
The word "function" (from lat ... functio- "execution") is ambiguous. In general use, it can denote such concepts: meaning, purpose, role; duty, scope of responsibilities; work, type of activity; a certain phenomenon, depending on another, the main phenomenon and serving as a form of its manifestation, implementation. This word is used in various ways as a scientific term, i.e. has a number of special meanings. As a linguistic concept, it is also used ambiguously. According to some linguists, recently in the science of language this term (along with the term "structure") has become the most ambiguous and stereotyped.
The compound linguistic term "language function", or "linguistic function", denotes the purpose, purpose, or "predestination, potential orientation of the language system to meet the needs of communication (communication) and the needs of mental activity." Following V. A. Avrorin, the concept of the function of language can be defined as "a practical manifestation of the essence of language, the implementation of its purpose in the system of social phenomena, the specific action of language, conditioned by its very nature, something without which language cannot exist, just as matter does not exist. motionless" .
When we talk about linguistic functions in general theoretical terms, we mean, first of all, the functions of language in general, language as a universal phenomenon, i.e. functions specific to different languages. They should not be confused with the specific functions of individual languages associated with the special conditions of their functioning. You can compare such functions of the Russian language as, for example: to be a means of interethnic communication between the peoples of Russia or the Soviet peoples (in the former USSR), to act as one of the international languages, etc. In general linguistics, including in the course "Introduction to Linguistics ", usually considered those functions that appear in any language, are carried out or can be carried out by each language.
Sometimes, as linguistic functions, varieties of language are considered that serve different spheres of human activity, i.e. talks about the performance of the language of the functions of the folk spoken language, the oral form of the literary language, the language of science and technology, the language of culture, art, the language of social and political life, or the function of the language used in various spheres of social and political life, the function of the language of teaching in primary , secondary schools and universities, etc. In such cases it would be more correct to speak not about the functions of the language, but about the spheres of its application.
Speaking about linguistic functions, one should distinguish between such functions of language as a means of human communication, as an integral system, and the functions of elements of this system - different linguistic units, their types, for example, the functions of a word, sentence, speech sound, word stress, etc. Here we will only talk about the proper language functions.
The main, most important function of language is considered to be communication function, or communicative(from lat. communicatio- "communication, message"). This function is understood as the purpose, the purpose of the language to serve as a means of communication between people, their transmission of messages, exchange of information. In the process of communicating with the help of language, people transmit to each other their thoughts, feelings, desires, moods, emotional experiences, etc.
The presence of a language of a communicative function is due to the very nature of the language; this function finds its expression in the generally accepted understanding of language as the most important means of human communication. The communicative function is "the original, primary, for the sake of which the human language appeared"; this idea is also expressed in the above statement by K. Marx and F. Engels that "language arises only from a need, from the urgent need to communicate with other people."
Language exists, functions insofar as it realizes its purpose - to serve as a means of communication between people. If, due to certain conditions, the language ceases to fulfill this purpose, it ceases to exist or (in the presence of writing) is preserved in the form of a dead language, as mentioned above.
In order to exchange information, thoughts about the reality around us, about specific objects and phenomena, it is necessary to create, form, construct the corresponding thoughts that do not exist in a finished form, but appear only as a result of a person's mental activity, carried out (mainly or only) with language help, as discussed in the previous section. Recall that units of thinking (concepts, judgments) are expressed by linguistic means (words and sentences). On this basis, a special function of the language is distinguished - thought-forming function, thought-forming, or constructive(from lat. constructio -"construction"), sometimes called mental, or the function of the tool of thinking. This function of the language, in contrast to the communicative one, is not recognized by all linguists. According to some linguists, the constructive function belongs not to language, but to thinking.
Usually thoughts are formed, constructed by a person with the aim of transmitting to others, and this is possible only if they have a material expression, a sound shell, i.e. expressed by linguistic means. "In order ... for a thought to be transmitted to another, it is necessary to express this thought in a form accessible to perception, it is necessary for the thought to receive material embodiment. The most important means for this ... is the human language." It is language, being closely related to abstract thinking, which provides the ability to "convey any information, including general judgments, generalizations about objects that are not present in a speech situation, about the past and the future, about fantastic or simply not corresponding to reality situations." Thus, it should be recognized that, along with the functions discussed above, the language also performs thought expression function, or, more simply, expressive function, which is also called expressive(from lat. expressio- "expression"), or explicative(from lat. explicatio- "explanation, deployment").
Expressing his thoughts, judgments about the world around him, about various objects and phenomena of reality, the speaker can simultaneously express his attitude to the content of speech, to the reported facts, events, etc., his feelings, emotions, experiences or empathy in connection with the information being reported. ... This is most clearly manifested in artistic, poetic speech and is comprehended through special selection, purposeful use of various means of the common language, "the specific artistic organization of linguistic material." For these purposes, such linguistic means are used as, for example: introductory words and phrases, modal particles, interjections, significant words with emotional, expressive, stylistic coloring, portable values words, derivational affixes with evaluative meaning, word order in a sentence, intonation (for example, intonation of joy, admiration, anger, etc.). In this regard, a special function of language stands out - the function of expressing emotions, feelings, experiences and moods, or, more simply, "the function of expressing the feelings and will of the speaker", which in special literature is usually called artistic, poetic, aesthetic, emotional, or emotive. This function of language can be defined as "the ability of language to act as a form of art, to become the embodiment of an artistic intention", "to serve as a means of embodying an artistic intention, a means of creating a work of art"; its essence lies in the fact that "language, acting as a form of verbal art, becomes the embodiment of artistic intention, a means of figurative reflection of reality, refracted in the mind of the artist."
Language is not only a means of reflecting reality, objects and phenomena of the surrounding world, a means of expressing human thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc., but also the main means and the most important source of knowledge of the world, processes and phenomena occurring in it. In other words, the language performs cognitive function, or, otherwise, gnostic, epistemological(from the Greek. gnosis -"knowledge, knowledge" and logos- "word, teaching"), cognitive(Wed lat. cognoscere- "learn, learn", cognitum- "to learn, to know").
The simplest way to cognize the external world is sensory perception, however, not all objects, their signs, properties, etc. are perceived and cognized by the senses. In particular, abstract concepts such as space, movement, speed, etc. are completely inaccessible to sensory perception. Yes, and with the help of the senses, you can get only a very superficial idea about specific objects. Deep and comprehensive knowledge of the surrounding world is possible only with the help of language.
The participation of language in the knowledge of reality manifests itself, as is known, in the process of thinking, in the formation of concepts and judgments, which are expressed in words and sentences. Without the participation of language, linguistic means, the scientific, research activity of people is unthinkable, as a result of which our knowledge is constantly enriched with new information, new information about the world around us, about the phenomena being studied.
In the process of cognition, communication between people plays an extremely important role in order to exchange information and experience. Such an exchange is possible not only through direct oral communication, but also when reading books, newspapers, magazines, while listening to radio broadcasts, watching television, films, theatrical performances, etc. The process of cognition is especially intensive during study, in training sessions. All this is possible with the participation of the language.
As noted above, language is not only a means, but also a source of knowledge about the world around us. "The language itself carries the information contained in its signs." This or that information contains all the significant units of the language - morphemes, words, phrases, sentences. "The content side of the significant units of the language, ie the meaning of words and word components, the meaning of phrases, the semantics of propositional structures, is a picture of the world processed by human thought (in each language in a slightly different way), formed as a result of a long-term analytical, cognitive activities of many previous generations ".
The source of human knowledge is not only specific language units, but also certain linguistic categories, in particular grammatical ones. So, for example, a noun as a part of speech denotes an object (in a broad sense), or objectivity, an adjective is a sign of an object, a numeral is a number, a number of objects, a verb is an action, a process. The same can be said about the lexical and grammatical categories of nouns, adjectives and other parts of speech, about the categories of number, gender, animation, degree of comparison, time, mood, etc.
It should be noted that the cognitive function of language (as well as the constructive function) is not recognized by all scientists. Some linguists believe that "this function is inherent in human thinking, and language is only a tool that is used in the process of its implementation," that language does not perform a cognitive function, but only a function of a means of cognition. It seems, however, that this difference is not fundamental. After all, language is not only a cognitive means, but also a means of communication. It is generally accepted that language performs the function of communication, or a communicative function, precisely because it is means communication of people; it can equally be argued that language as a means of cognition performs a cognitive function.
Closely related to the cognitive function of language accumulative function(Wed lat. accumulatio- "accumulation, dumping in a heap"), i.e. the function of accumulating, consolidating and transferring social experience, or "a means of consolidating and transferring the achievements of human thinking, human knowledge." The essence of this function is that "language, in a certain sense, accumulates in itself the social experience of mankind and knowledge acquired in the process of life," which "are deposited primarily in significant vocabulary, to a certain extent also in grammar, reflecting more or less measure indirectly, the connection and relationship of reality. " With the help of language, the acquired knowledge and experience is spread between people, becomes the property of different peoples, is passed on from generation to generation, which ensures the accumulation and constant enrichment of experience and knowledge, the development of science, technology, etc. "If language did not make such transfer of knowledge possible, then each generation would have to start in the development of knowledge from an empty space, and then there would be no progress in science, technology or culture."
Some linguists, along with the named functions of the language, distinguish and describe such functions as regulatory, i.e. "a function that regulates relations between people in the process of communication"; phatic (or contact, contact-establishing), nominative (name) and some others, which, in our opinion, are not of particular interest.
- Cm.: Jacobson R. Development of a target language model in European linguistics in the period between the two wars // New in linguistics. 1965. no. 4, p. 377.
- L. A. Kiseleva Communicative linguistic functions and the semantic structure of verbal meaning // Problems of semantics. M., 1974.S. 67.
- V. A. Avrorin Language functions. P. 354; Its the same. O the subject of sociolinguistics. P. 34.
- Cm.: V. G. Kostomarov The problem of social functions of language and the concept of "world language" // Sociolinguistic problems of developing countries. M., 1975.S. 241–242.