1.4. Language as a specific sign system

Signs and sign system can be either natural or artificial. The examples of natural signs are animal communication, the phenomena of nature (e.g. raindrops on the windowpane as a sign of rain) or symptoms of a disease. Among artificial (man-made) signs are movies, photographs, paintings, music, fashions, road signs, etc. LANGUAGE is neither a natural, nor an artificial sign system. It is a blend of both, since language evolves as the result of both nature and nurture. On the one hand, humans are genetically programmed to speak. On the other hand, language faculty can be activated only in the society. Besides, it is the society that influences the form acquired by a particular language system (see Figure 2.1).

Designatum

(Referent)

Icons Construal:

Indexes a subjective

Symbols image of the

Signals objective reality

Signifier DESIGNATOR Signified

Physical form: (Sign) Concept/Meaning:

Sound Ontological

Written Axiological

Gesture Modal

Pragmatic

NATURAL ARTIFICIAL

Language

Figure 2.1. The sign constituents and the sign types

Language differs from the other sign systems along the following principal parameters:

(1) Language is a universal system of signs, i.e. it is used in all spheres of human life. All other sign systems can be ‘translated’ into natural language.

(2) Language undergoes gradual changes through history. These changes can

be observed both in the form and meaning of linguistic units. With the course of time, such changes may become considerable.

(3) The most distinctive feature of the language system is its hierarchical structure: linguistic units belong to different levels, and the lower level units integrate into the upper level units (Figure 2.2.).

Level Unit

DISCOURSE -----------------discourse unit

TEXTUAL---------------------text unit

SUPER-PHRASAL-----------super-phrase unit

SPEECH ACTS----------------speech act

SENTENTIAL-----------------sentence

PHRASEOLOGICAL PHRASAL----------------------phrase