This paper describes some of the main anthropological linguistic theories, including a brief explanation of kinship and color terminology, meaning, st...
Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION............................ INTRODUCTION................................................... .............................................. .............................................. ...............................1 ........1 2. MEANING.................................. MEANING......................................................... .............................................. .............................................. ...............................2 ........2 3. CUTU CUTURE RE AND COGNITION............... COGNITION...................................... .............................................. .............................................3 ......................3 !. "AT "ATO#S AND $ANT#S STUDIES................................. STUDIES........................................................ ..........................................! ...................!
%. CUTURE AND COGNITION&&&&&&&&&&................................................! '. STRUCTURAISM...................................................................................................% (. COGNITI)E NT*RO"OOG+ AND SCRI"TS..........................................................' ,. $INS*I"..................................................................................................................( -. COOR&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&...&&, 1. INGUISTIC REATI)IT+ AND T*E /OASIAN TRADITION&&&&&&&&..11. CONCUSION&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&...1 12. 0OR$S CITED&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.11
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Antropoloial lin4istis
Antropoloial lin4istis is te st456 of lan4ae in a relation to 5ifferent soial an5 4lt4ral feat4res. Aor5in to 7ole68 antropoloial lin4istis 9ie:s lan4ae tro4 4lt4re an5 meanin. *ere omes a point :ere meanin is bein p4t into te mi55le of all antropoloial lin4istis 5is4ssions. Te topi of m6 seminar paper is a relation of antropoloial lin4istis to semantis an5 meanin. To be preise8 te entral onept is base5 on te anal6sis of 4lt4re8 meanin an5 lan4ae all toeter. 74rtermore8 tis seminar paper :ill 5eal :it te semanti 5omains8 str4t4ralism8 oniti9e antropolo6 et. Tere :ill also be :or5s abo4t a lin4isti relati9it68 people :o stemme5 tis teor6 an5 te /oasian Tra5ition.
MEANING 0e an 5efine meanin as a proess :i oes on b6 te interation of te mental pit4re :it realit6 ;C. $. O5en an5 I. A. Riar5s8 1-23<. Tere are lot of =4estions :i :e a9e to onsi5er :en 5is4ssin te meanin. 0ere an it be fo4n5> In :at :a6 4mans ?no:
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:i meanin to oose in a ertain sit4ation> An ans:er to tis =4estion an be fo4n5 in te 4man@s i5eas8 to4ts an5 mental onstr4tions. Tis is alle5 a mental representation. Te mental representation is base5 on te onept of a sin. Stim4l4s p6sial form of te sin elps one to perei9e 9ario4s meanins. +et8 te mental representation is not as eas6 to interpret as it seems. Tis approa onsists of bot8 mental ;internal meanin< an5 p6sial ;eternal< meanin. Eternal meanin is on9entional an5 p4blil6 5etermine5 to a ertain 5eree. As s48 it is obBeti9e8 b4t on te oter an58 internal meanin ains rater s4bBeti9e eistene8 it is in5i9i54al@s pri9ate mental eperiene. Despite te fat tat :e an 5istin4is bet:een tese t:o t6pes of meanin8 one =4estion entails :en oin f4rter into te 5is4ssion @@*o: an :e ?no: tat a parti4lar obBeti9e at is assine5 at te same meanin b6 t:o in5i9i54al min5s in oter :or5s8 :at establises te meanin as sare58 ;&< if meanins te f4ntionin of in5i9i54al min5s8 :at ens4res tat it is sare5>@@ ;7ole68 0. A. ;1--(. p.,<. Tis =4estion lea5s to a onl4sion tat :e annot 5etermine meanin b6 tese ('internal representations8 bea4se te6 4s4all6 5iffer 5epen5in on te sit4ation an5 in5i9i54als. Aor5in to tis fat8 internal meanin is not an effiient in5iator :en. 7ole6 5efines 4lt4re as transenerational 5omain of praties tro4 :i 4man oranisms omm4niate :it ea oter ;p.1!< *e also mentions a 9er6 interestin i5ea of abit4s8 :i /o4r5ie4 5efines as a ontin4o4s s6stem of 5efinitions an5 r4les a=4ire5 initiall6 b6 te 6o4n il5 in te ome as a res4lt of te onsio4s an5 4nonsio4s praties of eris famil6 ;/o4r5ie48 1-(3.< It is important to sa6 tat abit4s is not a fie5 s6stem. Ro4tines8 s?ills an5 ass4mptions 5eri9e =4i?l68 5a6 b6 5a68 Tis i5ea of abit4s is at4all6 a onse=4ene of an in5i9i54al#s life8 from is soial stat4s8 famil68 i5eolo68 to e54ation et. 7ole6 interprets te i5ea of abit4s as it pro9i5es in5i9i54als :it a F#pratial sense## of o: to bea9e8 o: to at in teir li9es8 s6mboliin some ?in5 of a 4i5ane for f4rter ations8 b4t still 5oes not 5oes not ma?e an6 restritions an5 barriers in teir min5s.
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CUTURE AND COGNITION After 5is4ssin meanin8 7ole6 anal6ses 4lt4re an5 onition tro4 oniti9e antropolo6. Te startin point of tis approa is te fat tat te oniti9e antropoloists fo4s on te point of 9ie: of te oranism an5 its ne4roloial apabilities8 b4t on te oter an58 te6 5en6 an6 en9ironmental in9ol9ement in str4t4ral o4plin ;p. 1,.<. 74rtermore8 7ole6 mentions Goo5eno4 :o as infl4ene5 man6 areas of antropolo68 inl45in oniti9e antropolo6. Goo5eno4 is of te opinion tat 4lt4re so4l5 not be obser9e5 as a s6stem of p4bli meanin bearin s6mbols8 b4t as a s6stem of ?no:le5e. 7or oniti9e antropoloists8 4lt4re is more in5i9i54al tan p4bli an58 to ite8 it is F#fo4n5 in te min5s an5 earts of men## ;Goo5eno48 1-,1<. Tis oniti9e 9ie: of 4lt4re empasies te sinifiane for te members of a 4lt4re8 an5 te :a6 te6 mentall6 represent tis ?no:le5e. In a55ition to tis8 oniti9e antropoloists i9e importane to te fat tat people learn an5 ain ?no:le5e as in5i9i54als8 an5 terefore8 if 4lt4re is bein learne58 it so4l5 ertainl6 be learne5 in5i9i54all6 rater tan in ro4ps. ;Goo5eno48 1-,1<.
"ATO#S AND $ANT#S STUDIES In te tir5 apter of is boo?8 7ole6 empasies te most important pilosopial tesis of "lato an5 $ant as r4ial for 4n5erstan5in sins an5 meanins s6stems. Te Rep4bli8 te best ?no:n :or? of "lato8 5eals :it te Ca9e Teor68 :ere a ro4p of people is 5esribe5
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as spen5in teir li9es in a a9e. Teir mo9ement is limite5 b6 ains8 te6 are aine5 so te6 an onl6 rea te a9e#s :alls. Tere is also a fire :i ma?es sa5o:s of tese people on te :alls. "lato#s i5ea of te a9e an5 te fire s6mbolies te nat4re of 4man 4n5erstan5in. Tese prisoners perei9e te tins te6 see on te :all as real8 9i9i5 an5 to4able8 te6 ?no: notin abo4t te real a4ses of te sa5o:s. Te prisoners are not able to 4n5erstan5 :ere te sa5o:s ome from. "lato#s point is tat te eneral terms of o4r lan4ae are not names of te p6sial obBets tat :e an see8 in tis ase8 fire an5 sa5o:s. Te6 are at4all6 names of tins tat :e annot see b4t b4il5 an5 perei9e in o4r min5s. 74rtermore8 7ole6 empasies te importane of soial an5 oniti9e sienes8 an5 te :a6 te6 infl4ene5 $ant to ass4me tat mental representations establis an interme5iate le9el bet:een o4r eperiene an5 its ne4roloial realiation in o4r brains. Moreo9er8 $ant laims tat ?no:le5e is not follo:e5 b6 eperiene8 b4t te ?no:le5e abo4t te :orl5 a ro4n5 4s is 5iretl6 onnete5 :it o4r innate onepts. $ant#s rationalism is so:n tro4 te appearane of realit6 :i omes from te innate mental onepts. As 7ole6 sa6s8 tese onepts are te beinnins8 or to ite8 F#te ro4n5s## of 4man eistene ;p.,!<. In 7ole6#s :or?8 te teor6 of mental representations 9ie:s onition @@as omp4tations 4sin tese mental representationsH ;p.,,<. Te omp4tations in te pre9io4s sentene s6mbolie a metapor for min5 :i is8 in tis ase8 an ati9ator of a set of mental representations.
STRUCTURAISM Str4t4ralism in antropolo6 is parti4larl6 empasie5 b6 te sool of Cla45e e9i Stra4ss8 7ren antropoloist. Te str4t4ral lin4istis 5eri9es from tree so4res
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infl4ene5 b6 e9iStra4ss8 an5 tese are Sa4ss4re8 te "ra4e Sool8 an5 te Amerian 5esripti9e lin4ists. As 7ole6 laims8 te i5ea of str4t4ralism is base5 on te fat tat te real nat4re of tins is not in te tins temsel9es b4t in te relationsip bet:een tem. Elements temsel9es a9e no sinifiane8 eept :en in relation to oter elements in te s6stem. ;p. -2-3<. Sa4ss4re#s i5eas of ontrast an5 str4t4re inerent in s6stem are :ellill4strate5 in te fiel5 of ponolo6. Te ?e6 onept in tis i5eas is te poneme onept8 F# a fie5 i5entit6 :itin an o9erall str4t4re of ontrastin 4nits##.;p.-3<. General priniples in te teor6 of str4t4ralism are base5 on te 5istinti9e elements8 ponemes8 for eample8 b an5 p f4ntion as lin4istiall6 sinifiant elements in Enlis. On te oter an58 te6 5o not al:a6s ser9e as pre9io4sl6 mentione5 elements8 e. in +imas tere is a sinle poneme orrespon5in to tese t:o. Tat means tat te :or5 ontainin tese ponemes 5o not ane in meanin8 b4t onl6 in teir form. 7ole6 a9e eample of JimbanK an5 JipbanK ;p.-!<. In +imas tere is one poneme8 in tis ase8 realie5 eiter as a b or p so4n5. "re9io4sl6 mentione5 so4re of te str4t4ral lin4istis8 te "ra4e Sool note5 tat te f4ntionin ontrasts form sets of oppositions 5efine5 tro4 5ifferent poneti feat4res. On te oter an58 e9iStra4ss#s r4ial inno9ations to te str4t4ralist teor6 are te etension of te @@notion of 5efinin oppositional feat4res to te anal6sis of meanin an5 4lt4ral ateories@@ ;p. -,<. One tin abo4t e9iStra4ss#s :or? 7ole6 empasies is tat e aban5one5 Sa4ss4re@s empiriism for te rationalist position laimin tat F#te 4man min5 is e9er6:ere te same## ;p. -,<. e9iStra4ss i9es importane to lassifiation8 te basi meto5 of te F#siene of te onrete##. Aor5in to is st4568 all in5i9i54als8 primiti9e or i9ilie5 ones8 lassif6 alon te same lines an5 4se te same meto5s. 74rtermore8 tere is also e9iStra4ss#s anal6sis of te penomenon of totemism :i ma6 be fo4n5 in man6 tra5itional soieties. 7ole6 eplains tat totemism in9ol9es beliefs lin?in ertain animals8
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plants an5 oter obBets of ertain importane :it ertain soial ro4pins8 4s4all6 a lan ;p. --<. COGNITI)E ANT*RO"OOG+ AND SCRI"TS After 5ealin :it tis E4ropean form of str4t4ralism 7ole6 presents in te net apter te Amerian sool of str4t4ral antropolo68 also ?no:n as ##oniti9e antropolo6##. A4tor points o4t tat tis para5im @@ol5s tat 4lt4re is to be re54e5 to onition an5 is intereste5 in te mental representation of 4lt4ral praties@@ ;p. 12-<. 7or te epliit representation of tis oniti9e oraniation of 4lt4ral penomena8 oniti9e antropoloists 4se 9ario4s anal6tial proe54res an5 meto5s s4 as8 for eample8 omponential anal6sis8 taonom68 an5 partonom6. Moreo9er8 7ole6 eplains tat m4 of te later :or? in oniti9e antropolo6 :as inspire5 b6 ontin4o4s 5e9elopments in te fiel5 of artifiial intelliene. Artifiial intelliene as res4lte5 in 5e9elopin te i5ea of sripts. Sripts are 5efine5 as oniti9ee9ent semas :i represent te stan5ar5ie5 ?no:le5e of a Nati9e as of o: to aomplis tins in 4lt4re. Aor5in to Goo5eno4 ;1-'!<8 F#4lt4re onsists of :ate9er one as to ?no: or belie9e in or5er to operate in a manner aeptable to its members##;=4ote5 in 0.A 7ole68 12(<. Te sript onept is a ompellin i5ea for ta?in oniti9e oraniation of 4lt4ral information into onsi5eration. As s48 it as been ent4siastiall6 embrae5 b6 man6 famo4s oniti9e antropoloists s4 as Aar8 *ollan5 an5 S?inner8 4t.
$INS*I" In te apter on 4ni9ersalism8 7ole6 5esribes ?insip as it attrats te ?eenest an5 e most s4staine5 interest of all topis :itin antropoloial lin4istis. It represents te best :a6 to
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5emonstrate 4ni9ersals. Te ?insip s6stems of te :orl5 lan4aes are =4ite 9ariable. It is important to mention Malino:s?i#s ontrib4tion to te anal6sis of ?insip s6stems. *e sa: F#te enesis of ?insip :itin te n4lear famil68 :it its primar6 ?insip relationsips bein te basis of all ?insip##;=4ote5 in 7ole68 131<. In a55ition to tis8 te 4nits of anal6sis for ?insip s6stems are base5 on te 4ni9ersal ateories of te n4lear famil6 :i M4r5o? ;1-!-< 5efines as F#a soial ro4p araterie5 b6 ommon resi5ene8 eonomi ooperation an5 repro54tion. It ontains a54lts of bot sees8 at least t:o of :om maintain a soiall6 appro9e5 se4al relationsip8 an5 one or more il5ren8 o:n or a5opte58 of te se4all6 oabitin a54lts##;=4ote5 in 0.A 7ole68 131<. In ontrast to tis 5efinition8 Goo5eno4 ;1-(< ma?es a point tat te moter il5 relationsip is te one tat at4all6 5efines te n4lear famil6. 7ole6 onsi5ers tis relationsip as te basi atom of ?insip s6stems. It is te basis of eneaolo6. On te oter an58 fater is not in9ol9e5 in tis onept of te n4lear famil6. At4all68 4lt4re is te one tat rear5s a man as responsible for te soial 9al4es of te il5.
COOR Color is te last semanti 5omain eplaine5 in te tir5 apter of 7ole6#s tetboo?. It is te most fa9o4re5 of all semanti 5omains bea4se it in9estiates te relationsip bet:een meanin an5 lan4ae. Te :ole onept of olor as a semanti 5omain stems from /erlin
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an5 $a68 :o8 aor5in to 7ole68 5emonstrate5 tat 4ni9ersal 5esin feat4res of te 4man 9is4al perept4al s6stem stronl6 onstrain te s6stem of olor tenoloies ;=4ote5 in 0.A. 7ole68 1'!<. C4lt4ral praties an5 interests8 as 7ole6 laims8 F#pla6 no role in te at4al sensible eperiene o9ere5 b6 a i9en basi olor term in lan4ae## ;p. 1%1<. Color is te most 4ni=4e of te rest of te 5omains8 it pro9i5es reat st45ies of te effet of 4ni9ersal innate onstraints. Re58 6ello:8 reen8 bl4e8 :ite an5 bla?8 tese are si basi olors :ose ombination ma?es all te olors tat :e see aro4n5 4s. As s48 olor 9aries alon tree 5imensions8 an5 tese are 4e8 sat4ration an5 britness. 7ole6#s =4estion to te rea5er is ##06 is olor perei9e5 alon tese 5imensions>## It is bea4se 4man 9is4al s6stem is str4t4re5 to re9eal tese 5imensions. Tis is base5 on :i5el6 aepte5 F#opponent proess teor6## ;7ole68 1%1<
INGUISTIC REATI)IT+ AND T*E /OASIAN TRADITION
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7ole6 starts tis apter b6 intro54in te /oasian tra5ition an5 te "riniple of in4isti Relati9it6. *e 5efines te "riniple as a teoretial aniom of te /oasian tra5ition :i :as an Amerian sool of te first alf of te t:entiet ent4r6 ;p. 1-2<. Te most famo4s st45ies relate5 to tis teor6 stem from te :or?s of 0orf :o sai5 tat F#te lin4isti relati9it6 priniple means tat 4sers of mar?en5l6 5ifferent rammars are pointe5 b6 teir rammars to:ar5 5ifferent t6pes of obser9ations an5 5ifferent e9al4ations of eternall6 similar ats of obser9ation.## ;=4ote5 in 0. A. 7ole68 1-2<. 74rtermore8 7ole6 empasies tat 0orf is Hof entral importane for te ro4n5brea?in empirial st456 e 5i5 of te relationsip bet:een te lin4isti patterns of a people an5 teir abit4al onept4al s6stems of interpretationH ;p. 2,<. Te pre9io4sl6 mentione5 aniom of lin4isti relati9it6 is bein 5emonstrate5 b6 ontrasti9e st45ies of o: lan4aes of 5i9erse str4t4ral t6pes mit 5esribe te same obBeti9e e9ent in te p6sial :orl5. 7or not onl6 0orf8 b4t also Sapir8 tese 5ifferenes in epression are in5iati9e8 an5 in a55ition to tis8 te6 empasie a 5otrine of te ps6i 4nit6 of 4manit6. Te /oasian tra5ition as been re9italie5 in reent 6ears in te :or?s of 46 an5 Sil9erstein8 b6 a55in p6soloial L testin matries to te familiar ontrasti9e lin4isti st45ies of te /oasian tra5ition.
To onl45e8 tis seminar paper as o9ere5 te main topis of antropoloial lin4istis in a relation to semantis. 0illiam A. 7ole6@s boo? Anthropological Linguistics i9es 4s an
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insit into :at ma?es tis st456 so meaninf4l an5 important in to5a6@s soiet6. It as a maBor impat in te st45ies of 4lt4re8 lan4ae an5 te relation bet:een biolo6al feat4res of 4mans an5 onition. Te importane of 7ole6@s :or? is in te fat tat it elps te rea5er to 4n5erstan5 a r4ial role of lan4ae in a relation to 4lt4re. an4ae so4l5 not be perie9e5 as a mean of omm4niation. It is far more omple tan tat. 74rtermore8 tis seminar paper as also 5ealt :it te main semanti 5omains s4 as ?insip an5 olor :i 7ole6 as 5esribe5 in a reat 5etail. *e as also s4mmarie5 te basi i5eas of str4t4ral lin4istis b6 mentionin its important solars s4 as Sa4ss4re an5 e9iStra4ss8 inl45in teir ontrib4tion to tis intellet4al mo9ement8 an5 te antropoloial lin4istis in eneral. At te en5 of tis paper8 I eplaine5 te main fats abo4t te /oasian tra5ition8 inl45in 7ole6@s brief 5esription of te 5e9elopment of 0orf @s form4lation of te priniple of relati9it68 5efine5 as Hof entral importane for te ro4n5brea?in empirial st456 e 5i5 of te relationsip bet:een te lin4isti patterns of a people an5 teir abit4al onept4al s6stems of interpretationH ;p. 2,<.
0OR$S CITED
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1. /o4r5iea4 ". ;1-(3<. Cultural Reproduction and Social Reproduction. In R. /ro:n ;e5.<8 $no:le5e8 E54ation an5 C4lt4ral Cane8 on5on8 Ta9isto?. 2. /erlin8 /. an5 $a68 ".;1-'-<. Basic Color Terms. /er?ele6 Uni9ersit6 of California "ress. 3. 7ole6 0.A. ;1--(<. Anthropological Linguistics. An Intro54tion. an4ae in Soiet6 Series 2!8 e5ite5 b6 "eter Tr45ill. Ofor5 /la?:ell. !. Goo5eno48 0. ;1-(<. Description and Comparison in Cultural Anthropology. Ciao Ala5ine. %. Goo5eno48 0. ;1-'!<. Cultural Anthropology and Linguistics. In *6mes8 D. ;e5.<. '. Goo5eno48 0. ;1-,1<. Culture, Language and Society. Seon5 e5ition. Menlo "ar?8 CA /enBaminC4mmins. (. M4r5o?8 G." ;1-!-<. Social Structure. Ne: +or? Te MaMillan Compan6. ,. Malino:s?i8 /. ;1-3<. Kinship. Man. -. O5en C.$. an5 Riar5s I. A. ;1-23<. The Meaning of Meaning. London $ean8 "a4l8 Tren8 Tr4bner. !". 0orf8 / ;1-%'<. Language, Thought and Reality Selected #ritings of Ben$amin Lee #horf . Cambri5e8 MA Te Massa4setts Instit4te of Tenolo6 "ress.
