7 Nature of language.

There are many possible theoretical positions about the nature of language. Here are 3 different views:

1. the structural view of language

2. the communicative view of language

3. the interactional view of language

1. According to the structural view, language is a system of structually related elements for the transmission of meaning. These elements are usally described as:

-phonological units (phonemes)

-grammatical units (phrases, clauses, sentences)

-lexical items (function words and structure words)

Here are some of the areas of research in this view of language: linguistic analysis, textual discourse analysis

The target of language learning, in the structural view, is the mastery of elements of this system.

2. According to the communicative or functional view language is a vehicle for the expression of functional meaning. The semantic and communicative sides of language are more emphasized than its grammatical characteristics, although these are also included.

Here are some of the areas of research in this view of language: sociolinguistics, pragmatics, and semantics.

The target is to learn to express communicative functions and categories of meaning.

3. The interactional view of language sees language primarily as the means for establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships and for performing social transactions between individuals.

Here are some of the areas of research in this view of language: interactional analysis, conversational analysis, ethnomethodology.

The target of language learning is learning to initiate and maintain conversations with other people. All in all language is a system of signs which are closely interconnected & interdependent. The aim of theoretical grammar of a language is to present a theoretical description of this complex system.

8. Participle II.

The verbals (infinitive, gerund, and participle) make up a part of the English verb system. They have some categories, and lack some others. None of the verbals has any category of person or mood, number. They have the categories of aspect, tense, correlation, and voice.

Participle II is the non-finite form of the verb which combines the properties of the verb with those of the adjective. It is the single form, having no paradigm of its own. The past participle has both active and passive uses: forming the perfect tence: The chicken has eaten. Forming the passive voice: The chicken was eaten. Modifying a noun in active sense: our fallen comrades modifying a noun ,in passive sense: the attached files. Modifying a verb or sentence, passive sense: Seen from this perspective, the problem presents no easy solution.

The main self-positional functions of the past participle in the sentence are those of the attribute and the predicative: The story told by him fascinated me. My question remained unanswered.

Participle II can serve as a part of complex object (I want the document prepared for singing by 4 p.m.); adverbial of time (when given a dictionary he translated the text at once), condition (If insisted I will gladly come), comparison (He stood as though struck by my words), concession (Though impressed by the news he didn’t show it).

Some Participles II are used in phraseological or cliché combinations: faded photographs, fallen leaves, a retired officer, a withered flower, dream come true. The past participle is included in the structural formation of the present participle (perfect, passive), which, together with the other differential properties, proves the treatment of this form as a separate verbal.