First we have to know What is linguistics ?
Linguistics is the sience of language. As you know, language is means to
communicate, it is semiotic systems. So what
is semiotic system ? Semiotic systems are systems of communication and
include not just human language but, for instance, gesture, music, art, and
dress as well. Like any system, language has structure, and the succeeding
sections
provide an overview of this
structure: the modes (speech, writing, signs) in
which language is transmitted,
and the conventions (both linguistic and
social) for how sounds, words,
sentences, and texts are structured.
And about semiotic system, whether it is
spoken, written, or signed, every language has structure, which can be
described, as Leech (1983: 21–4) notes, by postulating:
(1)
rules governing the pronunciation of sounds; the ways that words are
put
together; the manner in which phrases, clauses, and sentences
are
structured; and, ultimately, the ways that meaning is created;
(2)
principles stipulating how the structures that rules create should be used.
Rules of grammar operate at various
levels:
1.Phonetics/Phonology: This level focuses on the smallest
unit of structure in language, the
phoneme. Linguistic rules at this level describe how sounds are pronounced
in various contexts.
So what is difference between phonetics
and phonology ?
Phonology is learning about pronounciation of sounds while phonetics is the result of it in the form of voice.
For example : when you say ‘B’
[bi], your libs closed and then opened with
the encouragement of the air, so you can be
producing [bi].
Phonetics/Phonology
, It includes place and manner of articulation.
2. Morphology: The
next level of structure is the morpheme,
the smallest unit of meaning in language. Rules of morphology focus on how
words (and parts of words) are structured. It describes all facets of word formation, such
as how prefixes and suffixes are added.
For exampel : love =>loved, loving ; try =>
tried, trying.
3. Syntax: The
largest level of structure is the clause,
which can be analyzed into what are called clause functions: subject, predicator,
object, complement, and adverbial. Syntax is learning about specifically how words, phrases, clauses, and
sentences are structured.
For example : I broke it
it is a main clause – it
can stand alone as a sentence, as opposed to a subordinate clause, which has to
be part of an independent clause – and can be analyzed as containing :
a subject (I)
a predicator (broke)
a direct object (it).
At the level of syntax, there are
many rules stipulating how constituents within a clause are grouped. For
instance, all languages have constraints on how constituents should be ordered.
4. Semantics: the study of semantics is typically focused on
such topics as the meaning of individual words (lexical
semantics) and the
ability of words to refer to points in time or individuals in the external
world (deixis).
At the level of sound,
Example : kick /kIk/ and sick /sIk/,
the choice of /k/ vs. /s/ results in words with two entirely
different meanings.
At the level of morphology,
placing the prefix un- before the word happy results in a word
with an opposite meaning: unhappy.
At the level of syntax, the
sentence Jose wrote to Carla means
something entirely different than Carla wrote to Jose because in
English, word order is a crucial key to meaning. But even though meaning is
present at all levels of linguistic structure.
Semantics is
the study which learning the meaning of
morphemes, words, phrases and sentences. Semantics do not care about the situation
when morpheme, word, or phrase that is
used. The object of study semantics has only one meaning, the meaning attached
to it in accordance with the dictionary.
Example :
(correct) I walked in the road yesterday
(incorrect) I walked in the sea
yesterday ( in syntax, it is true structure)
As you know that impossible to
walk in sea, although in syntax it is true but in semantics is not has meaning.
5.
Pragmatics :
It is learning not just about meaning that attached to the
morpheme, word, phrase
or sentence, but also context of
a speech is uttered.
Pragmatics also pay attention to the time, place, situation,
who utter the speech
and to whom it is
addressed.
Example : Desnor invited Nabila to come to her party, but Nabila won’t to come
to Desnor’s party because her exboyfriend, Andy came too.
Desnor : Will you come to my
party ?
Nabila : (a)
No, I don’t want, because Andy come too. => semantics
(b)
sorry, my mom didn’t allow me. => pragmatics
(c)
I get sick, I’m sorry. => pragmatics
You can see in a,b,c. You can see what is difference
among them. In the A, Nabila said
honestly that she didn’t want to come and said her reason. It is meaning in
semantics, the meaning is sure.
And about B and C, it is the way
of Nabila that she rejected inviting of Desnor but she didn’t say her reason
why she didn’t come to Desnor’s party
and say a lie.
Maybe she is ashamed saying her
reason so she is lie.
It depends what Nabila’s mind,
how she expresses her feeling.
Like I have said before Pragmatics attached to the
morpheme, word, phrase
or sentence, but also context of
a speech is uttered.
Ok. That is all for me. :) :) :)
#I’m receiving critics, suggestions that make this
writing be better.
Thank you I hope it can help you
References :
Charles
F. Mayer, Introducing English Linguistics,
2009,[pdf]
