NKUMBA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION HUMANITIES AND SCIENCES

STUDENT’S NAME: NSEKANABO MASCELINE

CONTACT: 0773649641/ 0751385497

E-mail: nsekanabomasceline@gmail.com

COURSE: BEP

SEMESTER: ONE

YEAR: ONE

IN-TAKE: JANUARY 2024

STUDENT’S NO. 2300103251

COURSE UNIT: INTRODUCTION TO THE LANGUAGE

STUDY AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

PROGRAME: DISTANCE LEARNING

LECTURER: MR. BISIRIKIRWA YONAH (0783493947)

E-MAIL: bisirikirwayonah@gmail.com

STUDY CENTRE: KYEGEGWA

 INTRODUCTION TO THE LANGUAGE STUDY AND LANGUAGE
DEVELOPMENT COURSE WORK
1. Define the term language and with clear examples, explain the characteristics of
language

Definition of language

Language can be broadly defined as a system of communication that consist of a structured

arrangement of sounds or written representation into larger units, such as morphemes, words, and
sentences.

Language is a primary medius through which humans express and understand emotions, ideas
and information.

Characteristics of language

a. Arbitrariness
There is no inherent connection between the words used in a language and their meanings
for example, there is nothing inherently “tree – like” about the word “tree”
b. Productivity:
Language users can create and understand an infinite number of sentences. For instance,
even though you might never heard the sentence “The quick brown fox jumps over the
lazy dog while holding an umbrella”, you can still understand it.
c. Duality (Double Articulation)
Language operates on two levels
 Sound (phonemes)
They are the smallest units of sound in a language. Example, the ‘k’ sound in ‘cat’
 Meanings (morphemes)
These are the smallest units of meanings example, “cats” consists of two
morphemes. “cat” (an animal) + ‘s’ (plural)
 d. Displacement
Language allows users to talk about things that are not present in the immediate
environment or that are not happening right now. For example, people can discuss the
past, future hypothetical situations.
e. Cultural transmission
Language is learnt socially unlike animals’ instinctual forms of communication, human
language is passed down from generation to generation through teaching and interactions
f. Structure dependence
The meaning and function of a sentence depend on its structure. For example, “The cat
chased the dog” has a different meaning from “The dog chased the cat”, despite using the
same words.
- English follows a specific order that is subject verb object (SVO) as in “The cat sat on
the mat”
Cat (object), sat (verb) mat (object)

Examples of characteristics

a) Arbitrariness:
In English, we say “dog”, where as in French, its “chien”, and in Japanese, its “inu”
The varied words show that one form over another
b) Productivity
A child can generate the sentence, “My teddy bear can fly to the moon”, which may not
have been said before but is easily understood.
c) Duality
In the word ‘bat’, the sound |b| is meaningless on its own, but when combined with |æ|
and |e|, it gains meaning as a whole.
d) Displacement
Saying “I will go to the market tomorrow” refers to an event in the future, not in the
present moment.
 Conclusion

Understanding language and its characteristics is essential for effective communication and
teaching, making it a fundamental aspect of the English teacher’s profession.

Question 2.
Justify the need for the study of language by a teacher of English language
Justification
a. Understanding linguistic structures and functions
Teachers need to understand the grammar, syntax and phonetics of English to teach
accurate and effective communication skills.
This involves knowledge of how sentences are formed, how words are pronounced, and
the rules governing language use.
b. Enhancing teaching strategy
Knowledge of language development and acquisition can help teachers to devise
effective teaching strategies suited to different stages of leaner development.
Understanding psychologistics enables teachers to address the specific learning needs of
young children, adolescents and adult learners.
c. Improving multi-cultural competency
In increasingly multi-cultural classrooms, understanding the connections and differences
between languages help in addressing the diverse linguistic backgrounds of students.
This includes recognizing the impact of first languages in learning English and adapting
teaching methods accordingly.
d. Facilitating assessment and feedback
It enables teachers to construct reliable language assessments and offer meaning
feedback.
Comprehensive language knowledge ensures teachers can evaluate writing and speaking
skills accurately and provide constructive feedback.
e. Encouraging critical language awareness
Teachers with a deep understanding of language can help students develop critical
language awareness – an understanding of how language can influence thought and
behavior.
 This is crucial for fostering critical thinking and effective communication skills.
f. Supporting literacy development
Language knowledge is fundamental to teaching, reading and writing skills.
Teachers can better support students in developing literacy by understanding
phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, and other literacy components
g. Student engagement
In – depth knowledge enables the creation of more engaging and meaningful lessons.
h. Adaptability
Teachers can better adapt to diverse learning styles and linguistic backgrounds.
i. Effective communication
Knowing the intricacies of language allows for clear explanations and error corrections.

In summary, the study of language equips English teachers with the necessary tools to
provide high quality education, tailor their teaching, meet student’s needs, and foster an
inclusive, effective learning environment.
REFERENCES
A. Justify the need for the study of language by a teacher of English language
1- Harmer, J. (2007). The practice of English language teaching. Pearson Longman
2- Crystal, D. (2003). A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics. Blackwell.
3- Richards, J.C. & Rodgers, T.S, (2001).
Approaches and methods in language teaching. Cambridge University Press.
4- Celce – Murcia, M. (Ed) (2001). Teaching English as a second language or Foreign
Heinle & Heinle.
5- Larsen – Freeman, D. & Anderson, M. (2011).
Techniques and Principles in language teaching. Oxford University Press.

B. Define the term language and with clear examples, explain the characteristics of language
1- Fromkin, V, Rodman, R., & Hyams, N. (2017).
An introduction to language cengage learning.
2- Wardhaugh, R. (2010). An introduction to sociolinguistics, Wiley – Blackwell
3- Lyons, J. (1981). Language and linguistics.
An introduction. Cambridge University Press.
4- Chomsky, N. (1957). Syntactic structures mouton
5- O’Glady, W. Archibald, J. Aronoff, M., & Rees – Miller, J. (2001). Contemporary
Linguistics. An introduction Bedford/ St. Martins