语言学 Language and Linguistics差异
Language and Linguistics
Language is something that we use almost every day, but we will feel at a loss when asked to define what language is. A most common definition of language might be: Language is a means of human communication. But it does not necessarily follow that it is an adequate definition. For example, it points out only the instrumental aspect of language and does not actually tell us what language is. Suppose someone has never seen a train and asks you what a train is. Do you think he will be satisfied with a simple answer like “a train is a means of transportation”?
Modern linguists have proposed various definitions of language. These definitions of language can be continued, but we can detect from these definitions the common aspects of language that linguists generally agree upon :
Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication.
Language is a system, which means that language must consist of finite rules observed by the language users to guarantee the success of communication.
Language is vocal symbols, which suggests that spoken forms are more cardinal to a language than written forms. And the primary medium for all
languages is sound.
Language is arbitrary in the sense that the relation between speech sounds (form) and the ideas the sounds convey (meaning) is arbitrary.
Communication is an important aspect of the function of language though language can also be said to perform other functions.
The linguist C. F. Hockett (1958) proposed a set of key properties of human language, which are said to be the design features that distinguish human language from any animal system of communication. Hockett identified 13 features, but most linguists would recognize the following features as most important, that is, arbitrariness, duality, productivity, displacement and cultural transmission.
And what is linguistics? Language and linguistics is different. But at the same time, the two are closely related.
Linguistics is often defined as the scientific study of language.
Linguistics probes into various problems related to language. It tries to answer the basic questions “what is language?”, “what rules there are that govern the structure of language?”, and many others.
Linguistics studies not any particular language, but it studies languages in general.
Language is a complicated entity with multiple layers and facets, so they have to concentrate on one aspect of it at a time. This has given rise to a number of relatively independent branches within the area of linguistics. There
are phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. The study of all these aspects of language forms the core of linguistics.
英语2Linguistics题目及答案
Quiz of Linguistics I. Decide whether each of the following statements is True or False. 1. Linguistics is generally defined as the scientific study of language. ( T) 2. Linguistics studies particular language, not language in general. ( F) 3. A scientific study of language is based on what the linguist thinks. ( F ) 4. In the study of linguistics, hypotheses formed should be based on language facts and checked against the observed facts. ( T ) 5. General linguistics is generally the study of language as a whole. ( T) 6. General linguistics, which relates itself to the research of other areas, studies the basic concepts, theories, descriptions, models and methods applicable in any linguistics study. ( F) 7. Modern linguistics is mostly prescriptive, but sometimes descriptive. ( F ) 8. Modern linguistics is different from traditional grammar. ( T) 9. A diachronic study of language is the description of language at some point in time. ( F ) 10. The distinction between competence and performance was proposed by Saussure. ( F) II. Fill in each of the following blanks with one word which begins with the letter given. 1. Chomsky defines “competence”as the ideal user’s k nowledge of the rules of his language. 2. Langue refers to the a bstract linguistic system shared by all the members of a speech community while the parole is the concrete use of the conventions and application of the rules. 3. D uality is one of the desing features of human language which refers to the phenomenon that language consists of two levels: a lower level of meaningless individual sounds and a higher level of meaningful units. 4. Language is a system of a rbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. 5. P arole refers to the realization of langue in actual use. 6. Findings in linguistic studies can often be applied to the settlement of some practical problems. The study of such application is generally known as a pplied linguistics. 7. Language is p roductive in that it makes possible the construction and interpretation of new signals by its users. In other words, they can produce and understand an infinitely large number of sentences which they have never heard before. 8. Linguistics is generally defined as the s cientific study of language. 9. If a linguistic study describes and analyzes the language people actually use, it is said to be d escriptive. 10. Modern linguistics regards the written language as s econdary . III. There are four choices following each statement. Mark the choice that can best complete the statement.
第一章语言学导论解析
第一章语言学导论 Chapter1 Invitations to Linguistics Linguistics is nowadays coming into wide use with combination of theories and practice as well as linguistics and other disciplines. Linguistics is of great use with very wide application. —人工智能，人机对话，机器翻译 The research of linguistics has already gone beyond language itself. Definition of Linguistics How do you define linguistics? What is linguistics? ——Linguistics can be defined as the scientific or systematic study of language. It is a science in the sense that it scientifically studies the rules, systems and principles of human language. What are we going to learn about linguistics? 1. It is generally agreed that linguistics should include at least five parameters, namely, phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic and pragmatic. These can be called microlinguistics. 语音学(phonetics);音系学(phonology);形态学(morphology);句法学(syntax) —Schools of Modern Linguistics 现代语言学流派; 语义学(semantics) ; 语用学(pragmatics) (chapter2-6) 2. Macrolinguistics——interdisciplinary learning Saussure, father of modern linguistics(现代语言学之父) were intended to establish the autonomy of linguistics, giving it a well-defined subject of study and freeing it from reliance on other disciplines. However, the interactive links between linguistics and other sciences are developing fast. 尽管索绪尔的目的是给予语言学自主性，给它定义明确的研究对象，将它从对其他学科的 依赖中解放出来。然而，随着时间的推移，语言学和其他学科的联系越来越密切。Psycholinguistics Psycholinguistics, as implied by the name, is the study of psychological aspects of language. It usually studies the psychological states and mental activity associated with the use of language. 心理语言学，顾名思义，是对语言的心理方面的研究，它通常研究的是与语言使用相关的 心理状态和心理活动。比如语言习得，语言的理解，语言的生成等等。(chapter 9/chapter11) Sociolinguistics Sociolinguistics, as implied by the name, attempts to show the relationship between language and society. Sociolinguistics attempts to look at language structures by paying attention to language use in a social context and on the other hand tries to understand sociological things of society by examining linguistic phenomena of a speaking community. 这就是社会与语言的关系，一方面通过社会语境中语言使用情况的调查了解语言结构的问 题，另一方面又通过语言现象的分析了解社会构成的问题。 Research Focus1 Cross-cultural Communication There exists a close relationship between language and culture. Language is an indispensable carrier of culture. Culture finds a better representation through language use. 语言是文化的载体，具有不可替代的重要性；文化通过语言得以凸现，其表现力得到充分展示。 心理学家罗杰斯(Rogers,1961), 真正的交流建立在理解基础上的倾听。 - 1 -
英汉语言学词汇对照表
英汉语言学词汇对照表 abbreviation ablative abrupt accent accusative acoustic phonetics acquisition action verb active active chart parser active knowledge active verb actor-action-goal actualization acute address adequacy adjacency pair adjective adjunct adjunction adverb adverbial idiom affective affirmative affix affixation affricate agent agentive-action verb agglutinative agreement AI (artificial intelligence) AI language Algebraic Linguistics algorithm alienable alignment allo- allomorph allophone alpha notation alphabetic writing alternation 缩写[省略语 ] 夺格 (的) 突发音 口音 /{Phonetics} 重音 受格（的） 声学语音学 习得 动作动词 主动语态 活动图句法剖析程序 主动知识 主动动词 施事 (者)-动作 -目标 实现 (化) 锐音 地址 { 信息科学 }/ 称呼（语） { 语言学 } 妥善性 邻对 形容词 附加语[ 附加修饰语 ] 加接 副词 副词词组 影响的 肯定（的；式） 词缀 加缀 塞擦音 施事 施事动作动词 胶着（性） 对谐 人工智能[人工智能 ] 人工智能语言[人工智能语言 ] 代数语言学 算法[算法 ] 可分割的 对照 [多国语言文章词；词组；句子翻译的 ] 同位 - 同位语素 同位音位 alpha 标记 拼音文字 交替
汉英构词对比研究
325 时代报告2013年1月下一、国内英汉语言对比研究概况 传统上,汉语言的研究大多以“字”为中心, 从文字的形、音、义分别衍生出文字、音韵、训诂三大语言研究部门。由于古汉语中字、词不甚区分(英语中只有“词”,没有“字”) ,很少有人从许慎的《说文解字》中体会到汉语构词法的价值或意义。真正在这方面较有影响的当数潘文国、叶步青、韩洋合著的《汉语的构词法研究》,此书的出版无疑是填补了汉语构词法研究方面的一大空白,对汉语与汉文化的研究,以及对进一步促进世界各地的汉语教学和研究都具有重要的理论和实用意义。本文以现代语言学理论为指导,对汉英构词进行了全方位系统的探讨和对比研究, 旨在揭示汉英构词的相同点和不同点，形成系统的理论知识, 为我国的外语教学和对外汉语教学提供系统的理论知识和依据。 二、英汉构词法对比与分析 构词法是指按照一定的语法规则构成新词的方法。根据构词能力的大小和使用频率的高低，英语语言学家习惯上将英语构词法归纳为两大类:主要构词法和次要构词法。本文将对英汉语中共有的合词法、词缀法、缩略法、转类法、类比法五种构词方法进行细致的比较，并将英语中特有的逆成构词法及汉语中特有的重叠法进行阐释，说明英汉两种语言在构词上的差异。 1.合词法(composition)。 合词法是指把两个或者两个以上的词按照一定的次序排列构成新词的方法。通过合词法构成的新词叫复合词(compound) 。简单的说，汉语合成词的两语素间有大量的并列关系和结构关系。并且合成词的语素大都按顺序排列，即主语+谓语，支配+被支配，修饰+被修饰，限定+被限定，补充+被补充。大量汉语合成词的意义可以通过其组成成分语素的意义，语素间的关系来理解，合成法是种意合的手段。而在英语的合成词中，两词间的并列关系简单，只有“名词+名词构成合成名词”，或者“形容词+形容词构成合成形容词”，如：watermelon，bittersweet. 2.词缀法(affixation)。 词缀法是指词缀与词根结合构成新词的方法。根据词缀在新词中相对于词根的位置,可以把这些形位分为前缀、中缀、和后缀。有些词法学者认为:汉语没有中缀,但有派生后缀;英语也没有中缀,但同时有派生后缀和屈折后缀。派生后缀可以改变词类和词义。如:mordernize 中的—ize ,careless中的—less“, 老头”中的“头”“, 读者”中的“者”。屈折后缀可以改变词的形式和词在句子中的语法关系。如:warmer 中的—er ,wants 中的—s。事实上,正如赵元任以及另一些语言学家所言,英汉两种语言中还是存在中缀的。如: statesman 中的—s ,“赶得上”中的“得”,均可视为中缀,只是数量极少而已。 3.缩略法(shortening)。 英语中的缩略法分为两种情况。一种是对原来完整的词进行加工,缩略其中一部分字母构成新词,这种词叫做缩短词(clipped word) 。如:flu = influenza ;另一种是将词组中主要词的首字母联成一个词,这种词叫首字母缩略词(acronyms) 。如:NATO = North Atlantic Treaty Organiza2tion (北大西洋公约组织) 、British Broadcasting Company→BBC、European Union→EU、International Olympic Committee→ IOC。 汉语的缩略法是按照一定模式把包含若干个音节的词组缩略成易 汉英构词对比研究 王琚 （库车县第二中学，新疆 库车 842000） 中图分类号：G633.41；G633.3 文献标识码：A 文章编码：1003-2738（2013）01-0325-01 摘要：词是语言的单位，是语音、意义及语法特点三者的统一体。词汇的数量由少增多，意义由简单变复杂，这是语言发展的共同规律。构词法是人们按照语言一定规律创造新词的方法。英语和汉语作为世界上最重要的两种语言，它们在词的构成方面有许多共同点，也有自己独特的方式。对比英汉语构词法的异同，有利于对英汉两种语言的学习和研究。 关键词：构词法；英语；汉语 记易写的尽可能少的音节。如:环保=环境保护，参赛=参加比赛，京郊=北京郊区，三好=身体好、学习好、工作好，北京大学→北大，环境保护→环保。 4.转类法(conversion)。 转类法也是一种词类转化或者功能转化,它是通过不改变词的形式而改变其词性, 汉语和英语的构词法中都有这类词,例如: 一则笑话讲述一个好酒者作自我剖析时大致这样讲的:我这个人存在的主要问题就是好喝酒, 根本原因就是酒好喝,整改措施是喝好酒。虽说是笑话而已,但在这则笑话里,“好”字却分别充当了不同的词性, 表示不同的含义,颇具讽刺幽默意味。再看一则短笑话:他这个人是一般不喝酒, 不喝一般的酒, 可喝起酒来可不一般。“一般”这里也充当了不同的词性, 表示不同的意义,但同样具有讽刺幽默意味。 同样地,在英语中,也有类似的名词转换成动词的例子: A. John was orphaned at the age of six. (orphan: to become an orphan). B. Please bottle some water for me. (bottle: to put into bottle). 5.类比法(analogy)。 类比构词的特点是仿照原有的同类词创造出其对应的词或近似词。但类比法不是常规构词法,除少数约定俗成的以外,所构成的词一般不被词典所收录。如:由white - collar (blue -collar)worker (白领或蓝领工人) 类比出grey - collar worker (灰领工人特指服务行业的职工) ,由earthquake (地震) 构成starquake (星球地震) ,由with - it (入时的) 构成without - it (过时的) ;参照“冷门”造出了“热门”,参照“武斗”造出了“文斗”,参照“务虚”造出了“务实”。不过,有的学者把类比法归入词的一种修辞格。 三、英语和汉语中独有的构词法 以上介绍的为几种英汉两种语言相似的构词法,下面再介绍两种它们独具特色的构词法。 1.英语独有的构词法：逆成法。 逆成法与词缀法恰好相反。词缀法借用词缀构成新词,而逆成法则是去掉被误认的后缀构成新词。用逆成法构成的词绝大部分是动词,极少数属其它词类。逆成法是现代英语中构成动词的主要途径之一。如:editor (编辑人) →to edit (编辑),lazy(懒惰) →to laze (偷懒),beggar (乞丐) →to beg(乞讨)。 2.汉语特有的构词方式:重叠法。 重叠法是汉藏语系诸语言中常见的语法手段之一。现代汉语的名词、代词、量词、动词、形容词和副词都可以按一定格式重叠。这种通过重叠部分或全部词素构成的新词的方法叫重叠法。如:爸爸、天天、讨论讨论、大大的、漂漂亮亮、黄澄澄。英语中虽也有少量的重叠词语,但重叠法不作为构词手段使用。 四、小结 通过对这两种语言构词法上的粗略比较,我们可以看到尽管两者属于不同的书写体系,一种是图形文字,一种是字母；一种是词尾变化的(英语) ,而另一种不是。它们仍然在构词法上存在相似之处。在词汇这个具体问题——词形、词义、词的构成上,有他们各自的个性,也享有许多相近或类似的原则。了解了这些原理、原则,可以大大提高我们学习英语词汇的效率,从整体上提高英语学习的效率。 学习研究
英语语言学讲解
《英语语言学概论》课程教学大纲 一、课程说明: 《语言学概论》课程是英语专业本科阶段的一门必修课。 《语言学概论》研究始于20 世纪初，其目的是揭示人类深层结构，对语言和语言交际作出客观、科学描述。现已形成了语音学、音系学、形态学、句法学、语义学、语用学等一系分支学科。语言学研究社会学等人文学科的结合逐步形成了社会语言学这样的交叉学科。 对于主修语言学的学生来说，了解语言学的知识和语言理论是完全必要和有益的。 本课程的对象是英语专业高年级学生，在本科阶段第6学期和第7 学期开设。其中第一、二、三、四、五、七、八、十一章为必修，其余章节为选修。 二、教学目的及要求: 本课程的具体要求是：比较全面，系统地了解《语言学概论》这一领域的研究成果，以及一些最主要、最有影响的语言理论和原则，从而加深对人类语言这一人类社会普遍现象的理性认识，并具备一定的运用语言学理论解释语言现象、解决具体语言问题的能力。 本课程是一门知识性比较强的课程。在教学过程中，应重点讲授主要理论、原则、和研究方法，使学生着重掌握基本概念和基本理论，在理解消化的基础上记忆。 本课程的对象是英语专业学生，在讲解过程中原则上采用英语范例，但不排除一些有助于学习者理解的、针对性强的汉语例子。应鼓 励学生结合自己的语言实践提供更多的例子来解释相关理论，以达到理论和实践相结合的目的。
三、教学重点与难点: 本课程的教学重点是语言学的基本知识和基本理论，语音学、词汇学、句法学、语义学和语用学这些语言学的核心内容。 本课程的教学难点是音韵学理论、句法结构和各个语言学流派的理论观点及其局限性。 四、与其它课程的关系: 本课程是一门主干性课程。与其相关的课程，如语法学、词汇学和语体学等都是语言学的分支，属于选修课程。 五、学时与学分: 学时：72学时 学分：4学分 六、教学内容： 第一章绪论 本章主要教学内容: 1．语言学习的意义 2．语言的定义。 3．语言的定义特征 4．语言的起源。 5．语言的功能。 6．语言学的定义。 7．语言学的核心内容。 8．宏观语言学的定义及分支。
语言学 Linguistics
Language and Cognition Cognitive Linguistics What Is Cognitive Linguistics? Cognitive linguistics is a newly established approach to the study of language that emerged in the 1970s. It is based on human experiences of the world and the way they perceive and conceptualize the world. Main Points in Cognitive Linguistics Construal and Construal Operations Categorization Image Schemas Metaphor Metonymy Blending Theory Construal and Construal Operations Construal is the ability to conceive and portray the same situation in alternate ways through specificity, different mental scanning, directionality, vantage point, figure-ground segregation, etc. Attention/ Salience Judgment/Comparison Perspective/Situatedness Construal and Construal Operations : Attention/ Salience The operation in salience have to do with our direction of attention towards sth. that is salient to us. In cognition, we direct our attention to the activation of conceptual structures. We use certain linguistic expressions to provoke certain patterns of activation. Construal and Construal Operations : Judgment/Comparison The construal operations of judgment/ comparison have to do with judging sth. by comparing it to sth. else. The figure-ground alignment apply to space, with the ground as the prepositional object and the preposition expressing the spatial relational configuration. Static and dynamic figure/ ground Trajector for a moving figure Landmark for the ground of a moving figure Categorization Categorization is the process of classifying our experiences into different categories based on commonalities and differences. There are three levels in categories. Basic level Super-ordinate level Subordinate level Metaphor Metaphor involves the comparison of two concepts in that one is constructed in terms of another. It is often described in terms of a target domain and a source domain. Lakoff and John classify conceptual metaphors into three categories Three Categories of Metaphor Ontological metaphors Structural metaphors Orientational metaphors Three Categories of Metaphor Ontological metaphors Ontological metaphors means that human experiences with physical objects provide the basis for ways of viewing events, activities, emotions, ideas, etc. as entities and substances. Three Categories of Metaphor Structural metaphors Structural metaphors allow us to go beyond orientation and referring and give us the possibility to structure one concept according to another. Three Categories of Metaphor Orientational metaphors Orientational metaphors give a concept a spatial orientation Metonymy Metonymy is defined as a cognitive process in which the vehicle provides mental access to the target within the same domain Two Conceptual Configurations Whole ICM and its part(s) Parts of an ICM Metonymy — Whole ICM and its part(s) Thing-and-Part ICM Scale ICM Constitution ICM Event ICM Category-and-Member ICM
完整word版语言学英汉术语对比word文档良心出品
1. 语言的普遍特征： 任意性 arbitrariness 双层结构 duality 既由声音和意义结构 多产性 productivity 移位性 displacement: 我们能用语言可以表达许多不在场的东西 文化传播性 cultural transmission 2。语言的功能： 传达信息功能 informative 人济功能： 行事功能： 表情功能： 寒暄功能： 娱乐功能 元语言功能 metalingual 3. 语言学 linguistics ：包括六个分支 语音学 音位学 形态学 句法学 语义学 语用学 4. 现代结构主义语言学创始人： Ferdinand de saussure 提出语言学中最重要的概念对之一： 语言与言语 language and parole ，语言之语言系统的整 体，言语则只待某个个体在实际语言使用环境中说出的具体话语 5. 语法创始人： Noam Chomsky 提出概念语言能力与语言运用 competence and performance 1. Which of the following statements can be used to describe displacement. one of the unique properties of language: a. we can easily teach our children to learn a certain language b. we can use both 'shu' and 'tree' to describe the same thing. c. we can u se language to refer to something not present d. we can produce sentences that have never been heard befor e. 2. What is the most important function of language? a. interpersonal b. phatic c. informative d.metallingual 3. The function of the sentence "A nice day, isn't it ?"is __ a informative b. phatic c. directive d. performative 4. The distinction between competence and performance is proposed by __ a saussure b. halliday c. chomsky d. the prague school 5. Who put forward the distinction between language and parole? a. saussure b. chomsky c. halliday d anomymous 第二节 语音学 1.发音器官由声带 the vocal cords 和三个回声腔组成 2. 辅音 consonant ：there is an obstruction of the air stream at some point of the vocal tract. 3. 辅音的发音方式 爆破音 complete obstruction 鼻音 nasals 破裂音 plosives interpersonal Performative Emotive Phatic recreatinal Phonetics phonology Morphology syntax semantics pragmatics
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Design features（定义特征）: the distinctive features of human language that essentially make human language distinguishable from languages of animals. Synchronic（共时的）: said of an approach that studies language at a theoretical “point” in time. Diachronic（历时的）: said of the study of development of language and languages over time. Prescriptive（规定式）: to make an authoritarian statement about the correctness of a particular use of language. Descriptive（描写式）: to make an objective and systematic account of the patterns and use of a language or variety. Competence（语言能力）: unconscious knowledge of the system of grammatical rules in a language. 对于一门语言的语法规则系统的无意识获得的知识。Performance（语言运用）:
the language actually used by people in speaking or writing. 人们说话写作时实际使用的语言。 Langue（语言）: the language system shared by a “speech community”. 一个“语言社团”共有的语言系统。 Parole（言语）: the concrete utterances of a speaker. 说话人实际说的话语。 Phonology（音系学）： the study of the sound patterns and sound systems of language. It aims to discover the principles that govern the way sounds are organized in languages, and to explain the variations that occur. International Phonetic Alphabet（国际音标）: a set of standard phonetic symbols in the form of a chart (the IPA chart), designed by the International Phonetic Association since 1888. It has been revised from time to time to include
语言学 Linguistics笔记
---------------------------------------------------------------最新资料推荐------------------------------------------------------ 语言学Linguistics笔记 Chapter one Introduction 一、定义 1.语言学 Linguistics Linguistics is generally defined as the scientific study of language. 2.普通语言学General Linguistics The study of language as a whole is often called General linguistics. 3.语言 language Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. 语言是人类用来交际的任意性的有声符号体系。 4.识别特征Design Features It refers to the defining poperties of human language that distinguish it from any animal system of communication.语言识别特征是指人类语言区别与其他任何动物的交际体系的限定性特征。 Arbitrariness 任意性 Productivity 多产性 Duality 双重性Displacement 移位性Cultural transmission 文化传递⑴arbitrariness There is no logical connection between meanings and sounds. P.S the arbitrary nature of language is a sign of sophistication and it makes it possible for language to have an unlimited source of expressions ⑵Productivity Animals are quite limited in the messages they are able to send. ⑶Duality Language is a system, which consists of two sets of structures ,or two levels. ⑷Displacemen t Language can be used 1/ 38
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语言学术语（英-汉对照）表 Glossary and Index (备注：因教材改版，部分章节标注等内容有出入。) A abbreviation 缩写词，略语3.3.1 Abercrombie 10.3.2 ablative 夺格，离格4.1.1 abstractness 抽象性1.3.2 accent 重音（符）2.4.4；2.4.5 accuracy 正确性11.6.4 accusative 宾格4.1.1 achievement test 成绩测试11.6.3 acoustic phonetics 声学语音学1.7.1；2.1 acquisition 习得6.1.2 acronym 缩略语3.3.1 action process 动作过程12.2.3 actor 动作者4.4.2；12.2.3 addition 添加3.3.2 address form 称呼形式7.2.3 addressee 受话人1.4；9.4.1 addresser 发话人1.4；9.4.1 adjective 形容词3.1.2；4.1.1；5.5.2 adjunct 修饰成分；附加语12.2.3 adverb 副词3.1.2 affix 词缀3.2.1 affix hopping 词缀跳跃4.3.1 affixation词缀附加法7.1.4 affricate 塞擦音2.4.3；2.4.5；2.9.1 agreement 一致关系4.1.3 airstream 气流2 alliteration 头韵9.3.2；9.3.6 allomorph 词/语素变体3.2.4；4.3.1 allophone 音位变体2.8 allophonic variation 音位变体2.8.3
对比语言学的定义-起源和发展
对比语言学的定义、起源与发展 对比语言学(Contrastive Linguistics的定义 1、语言学中的比较与对比 比较是人类认识事物、研究事物的一种基本方法，也是语言学研究的一种基本方法。如果说，语言学的根本任务是对语言的某种现象加以阐述的话，那么要对某一语言现象作出阐述，总是需要对这一现象的种种表现加以比较和分析(Harlmann1980:22。因而，按其本质来说，对比语言学也是一种比较,不过是一种具有特定含义的语言学中的比较。下面，先让我们来看看对比语言学的比较，与语言学中其他分支的比较有什么不同，从而使我们能够确定对比语言学在整个语言学中的位置，及其与其他语言学研究的联系。 在进行语言学比较时，根据比较对象的不同，可以沿两条轴线来进行。一方面，可以选择共时或历时的语言现象来进行比较;另一方面，可以选择在某一语言内部或各种语言之间的语言现象来进行比较。这两条轴线的互相交叉，便形成了如下四个象限，这四个象限将语言学研究分成四大类性质和目的不同的比较。
象限I代表了同一语言内部的共时比较。这类比较是对某一语言在其历史发展的某一阶段(特别是现时阶段的语音、语法和词汇等系统的内部构成成分及组织结构的比较。 在共时语言学研究中，要对某一语言的某一结构系统进行描述，就必须对这一结构系统里的各种语言现象加以比较分析。例如，如果我们要研究一种语言的语音系统，我们就要比较这个系统里的各个音素的发音部位和方法有什么不同，它们的声学物理属性有什么不同，在音节中的分布又有什么不同的规律，我们就必须比较这个语言中各类词的语法作用有什么不同，组合搭配有什么特点，等等。而且，要确定一个语言中的词可以区分为哪几个词类，这本身就要进行大量的形态、语义、语法特征等方面的比较。因此可以说，同一语言内的共时比较是语音学、语法学、词汇学等构成当代语言学主流的各个分支学科的一种主要研究方法。 象限Ⅱ代表了同一语言内部的历时比较。这类比较是对某一语言在其历史演变的不同阶段的语音、语法和词汇等系统加以比较，从而使我们了解这一语言的发展历史，找出其基本发展演变规律。例如，通过对英语的历时比较，语言学家一般认为，英语的演变经历了古英语、中古英语、早期现代英语和现代英语等四个阶段。其语法演变的总趋势表现为从一个综合型的语言逐步向一个分析型的语言发展，即词的屈折变化逐渐减少，语法意义的表达越来越多地依赖语序以及介词等语法作用词的运用。这类比较是对某一语言的语言史及其分科(如词源学、古今比较语法学等研究的主要方法。 象限Ⅲ代表了不同语言之间的历时比较。这类比较是对不同语言(一般是亲属语言在各个历史发展阶段的语音、语法和词汇等系统进行比较，其目的主要是探讨语言之间的历史联系，并据此对世界上的语言进行谱系分类，重建或构拟某一组亲属语的共同原始语(proto-language，找出它们之间的某些共同发展规律. 例如，语言学家通过对印欧语系诸语言之向的历时比较研究，使我们能够大致了解这些语言在历史演变过程中的关系，推断出原始印欧语的大致形式。不同语言之间的历时比较往往