2026 LINA01 Introduction to linguistics Comprehensive exam notes key concept University of Toronto
Linguistic Exam Introduction to Linguistics Linguistics is the scientific study obf language. It looks at how language changes over time. Studies the sounds of language and words, how words can be broken down into smaller units, and how to make meaningful sentences. What is language? - "A language is not just words. It’s a culture, a tradition, a unification of a community, a whole history that creates what a community is. It's all embodied in a language." Speaking a language means to communicate, speak and be understood by people. Example: If I speak English, I can understand someone who speaks English - Language is part of a culture. If a language dies, the culture dies - The capability to produce sounds (or signs for deaf and mute people) that have a certain meaning and to understand and interpret the signs produced by others - When speaking a language, you begin to understand which word combinations are possible in that language Competence vs. Performance Linguistic knowledge is unconscious knowledge - When speaking a language, you’re able to explain what constructions (sounds, signs, words, sentences) are correct/incorrect but can't explain why. Competence is the unconscious knowledge. Its the knowledge you have about the language you speak. What can and can't be said in your language?