Language and Lexicon

Language and Lexicon Free Online Research Papers When people think of language they think of the meaning of different languages such as English, Spanish, or French. It is not very often that the actual meaning of language is though of. In detail language has a very complex definition and meaning. This paper will examine the meaning and actual content of the English word language and lexicon and will also discuss the features and levels of language and discuss how language affects cognitive psychology. Language and Lexicon The main purpose of language is to provide a means of communication (Willingham, 2007) from species to species and interspecies. Language is the way people are able to verbally express their feelings, needs, desires, complaints, questions, and so on. Language comes in many forms given the species and requirements of the species. Some people are able to verbally communicate and others are not, relying on sign language and other means of communication. Humans are able to communicate with other species through words, patterns, sound, and body movement, or sign language as well. Identifiable words used in language are stored in the lexicon; a mental dictionary (Willingham, 2007). A lexicon is a part of the memory that acts as a dictionary. When people hear words they are recognized in the lexicon. The lexicon stores components related to words such as; pronunciation, spelling, and a part of speech (Willingham, 2007). When people hear words the lexicon is able to recognize how the word is spelled, how it sounds, and understands speech factors. Definition of words is not housed in the lexicon. However, there is a pointer element of the lexicon that directs the word to another area that the definition is housed (Willingham, 2007). The lexicon has a close relationship with language and its functions. Language Features Aspects that make words and means of communication are distinct. Properties of language are arbitrary, structured, communicative, generative, and dynamic. When discussing language the relationship between a word and its meaning is arbitrary. Words are nothing more than sounds and sound patterns that people connect with meanings. Language is arbitrary because there is no specific reason words are related to objects other than what a culture appoints them to be (Willingham, 2007). The relationship between words and their meaning are arbitrary; however, language is not. Language is structured. To think of language as a whole, and not just the specific words, it must have a pattern or a structure. Meaning, words must be arranged in context appropriately to efficiently be able to communicate language. Though words are arbitrary in themselves, to be part of a language they must be used in appropriate context. This is the structure of language. It would not make sense to place words anywhere in a sentence, out of context; they must be used in the pattern that the culture has established to be able to communicate effectively. They are appointed; however, as a means of communication (Willingham, 2007). The main reason people deem words to objects is to have a means of communication. To be able to communicate amongst other humans and species a language must be established. If words were not appointed to meanings communication would be based solely on body language or sign language; much like the images portrayed by cavemen. Therefore a language is communicative. However, some aspects of language are not restricted (Willingham, 2007). There are no limits to the number of meanings a word can have. Words are a sector of language that is generative. Meaning, any word can have the same phonologic tone, pattern, and sound but have different meanings. The surrounding contents of a sentence indicate the appropriate meaning to a word. Language can be complicated, it is arbitrary, and it is not arbitrary, it must be structured, and some components are not structured; one stable function is that it is ever-changing (Willingham, 2007). Language changes as evolution revolves and meanings of its functions change. One may have noticed that a specific phrase may have had a different meaning twenty years ago then it does today. This is meant, at the present time, to be dynamic. When something is dynamic it is always subject to change (Willingham, 2007). Levels of Language Language is broken down into different levels. One level of language leads to the next. The four levels of language are phonemes, words, sentences, and text. Phonemes are the lowest level of language. It is the part of language that delegates sound to parts of the words; such as the sounds of the alphabet. Each word has a sound as a whole word; but each word is compromised from many different sounds. In the English language words are composed from different words of the alphabet. Each sector of the word is either a letter or a vowel. Every letter and vowel of the alphabet have an individual sound; some letters and vowels have more than one sound. These sounds put together pronounce a word. It is the phonemes that make a word sound the way it does (Willingham, 2007). Each individual phoneme creates a word when put together. Words are the next level of language. Though words may have many different meanings and are arbitrary they do have specific rules. Different cultures have different rules for their words. Different uses of phonemes create many different sounds and are governed in cultural language (Willingham, 2007). It is appropriate for the next level of language to be sentences. As all the levels of language are connected, from the sound of each individual phoneme, to the combination of phonemes to form words, it makes sense that the combination of words would form sentences. Sentences are the constructs of words; though they are more complex than a single word or phoneme. Sentences, unlike words, are not arbitrary. The structure of the words must fit into a pattern so that the meanings of the words match the content of the sentence (Willingham, 2007). Like words must fit the context of a sentence, a sentence must fit the content of its paragraph. Often time’s single sentences alone can be complex to understand. Text is considered to be the meaning of many sentences put together to further elaborate on topics, and is the highest level of language. If a person spoke of a topic using many sentences that did not relate together others would not be able to understand the concept the he or she were trying to convey. All the aspects of language must fit together to be comprehensive. The phoneme must fit in the word, a word must fit in the sentence, and a sentence must fit into the text. If one of the levels did not coincide with the next the cognitive process would not be able to comprehend the meaning of the word, sentence, or text (Willingham, 2007). Language Processing in Cognitive Psychology It is clear that language has a large influence on the way a person thinks. When people think of ideas or problems the thoughts consist of the person’s native language. The very thought, which will be in a persons respective language, is nearly impossible to imagine without words or language. Many have debated if thought would be possible without language. Without language what would thoughts consist of? A perspective by Benjamin Whorf, known as the Whorfian hypothesis, explains that because of the strong bond between language and thought it would be nearly impossible to comprehend. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that if someone had words of a foreign language in their thoughts it would be impossible to tie the thoughts to anything relevant. People may be able to pronounce a word in a foreign language but without knowledge of what the words meant the cognitive process would not be able to comprehend the words. Conclusion When language is broken down and each aspect is analyzed it is very clear how complex language really is. Language consists of many components from the sound of phonemes to the sound of the words to the meaning of a combination of sentences in a text. Language can be thought of as the heart of communication. Without language communication would be so complex that the cognitive process would never be able to comprehend meanings. Reference Willingham, D. T. (2007). Cognition: The thinking animal (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Allyn Bacon. 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Business Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 4

Business Decision Making - Essay Example The management focuses on the application of various research methods. Research companies shall interview tablet users in the South East market. The researcher will also use both structured and unstructured interviews to obtain information on the product. Interviews will provide both qualitative and quantitative methods. The researcher should minimize chances of nonrespondence by approaching the subjects appropriately. Flexibility will be integrated in the interview process in order to maximize information obtained (McKee, 2014, 1). Similarly, researchers will use questionnaires. Mailed questionnaires will be randomly sent to tablet users on a random basis. The researcher should consider the cost of sending feedback from the respondents (Elvis, 2010, 56). Prepaid stamps should be used to cushion the respondents on the mailing costs. Moreover, the researcher may obtain primary data on the market trends. A market analysis will provide quantitative and qualitative data. Researchers can request electronics’ suppliers to furnish them with sales records on tablets. Alternatively, researchers can use secondary data from electronic databases. Sales records will provide detailed information on consumer demand of tablets. Data on consumer preferences will be obtained. The company encourages researchers to apply any other research methods provided they avail adequate data. The objective of the proposed research is to obtain as much data from customers as possible. Particularly, qualitative data providing information on consumer taste and preference is of great importance. The researcher should obtain data on the prevailing market price of the various tablets available in the market. The information obtained will enable the management come up with a price that will maximize revenue for the company. Consumer demand pattern should also be obtained as it will help the company predict expected demand with a high degree of

Reflection on marketing practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflection on marketing practice - Essay Example Ettore Bugatti and his son, Jean, synthesized both technology and art that, to this moment, have been the reason for the Bugatti’s dominance among the sports cars. While art describes the design philosophy of the Bugatti cars, technology defines their unequalled technical supremacy. Furthermore, David et al. make a situational analysis of the Bugatti cars by indicating that the current Bugatti model in the market is the Veyron 16.4. In accordance with the presentation, this version has a top speed of 253.81 miles per hour and a 16-cylinder combustion engine with 1200 horsepower. The presenters also mention that Bugatti makes sixteen different car models with a maximum price of â‚ ¬2,000,000. In addition, the presenters list the project’s principal objectives and further quote automobile enthusiasts, business people, industrialists, and the public as the target audience for the brand. For the target media, the presentation considers TV advertisements, car magazine, Auto shows, and social media as the means of reaching the target audience for this brand. David et al. also recognize community approach and investment into a share of both Formula 1 and fashion merchandise as the most practical marketing strategies Bugatti should utilize. The teaser campaign would involve the use of video teasers, billboards, and posters comprising of an attractive slogan. For the premier launching event, the presenters propose that Bugatti should display cars, which consist of two old Bugatti versions and three new models. At the end of the presentation, David et al. list the Bugatti campaign budget and the future of the new Bugatti. The presenters hold that the new Bugatti model woul d possibly have a top speed of 288 miles per hour. This presentation highlights the typical mistakes and inaccuracies that marketing agencies and individuals often make when preparing a teaser campaign for a new product. In keeping with Thorbjornsen, Ketelaar, Riet, and

Explain the European motivations for exploration and conquest of the New World Essay Example for Free

Explain the European motivations for exploration and conquest of the New World Essay The discovery of the New World happened to coincide with the spread of European power and culture around the known world. This spread was the result of various developments that had occurred, particularly the following: â€Å"the explosive growth of trade, towns, and modern corporations; the religious zeal generated by the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Reformation;†1 as well as the usual reasons of â€Å"greed, conquest, racism, and slavery. †2 By the time of the 1400s, these and other forces combined to make Europeans search for new lands to conquer and settle, as well as for new people to convert, civilize, or exploit. 3 Columbus’ various voyages to the New World opened the door for more exploration and settlement of the New World. The first European power to make concerted efforts to explore the New World was Spain, and they had three distinct motives: to win over converts to Catholicism; to conquer land; and, to get rich. 4 Eventually following Spain were England and France, both of which had similar motives: to extend their empires into the New World, as well as profit from the establishment of colonies in the New World. Clearly, then, the ultimate goal of exploration and conquest in the New World was to increase power and wealth. 2. Explain the religious persecutions in England that pushed the Separatists into Plymouth and the Quakers into Pennsylvania. Explain how England’s Glorious Revolution also prompted changes in the colonies. The Separatists, also known as the Pilgrims, were forced out of England due to their religious beliefs. They were part of the â€Å"most uncompromising sect of Puritans†¦who had severed all ties with the Church of England. †5 They felt that the Church of England was not completely separated from the Catholic Church. Speaking out against the Church of England led to persecutions by King James I and Anglican officials. 6 The Separatists then fled to Holland, but while there, felt that their children were becoming too Dutch and straying from their staunch Puritan beliefs. As a result, they secured a land patent from the Virginia Company and in 1620, sailed to America. 7 The Quakers were the â€Å"most influential of many radical groups that sprang from†¦the English Civil War. †8 They carried further than any other group the doctrine of â€Å"individual spiritual inspiration and interpretation,† which they called â€Å"the inner light. †9 Doing away with many of the trappings of the Church of England, the Quakers embraced a simple way of life and were extremely pacifist. 10 This did not coincide with the ways of the Anglican Church, and thus, they were persecuted a great deal. They chose to leave England and settle in the New World, where they would be able to practice their beliefs without fear of reprisal. First establishing the colony of New Jersey, they soon migrated to the opposite side of the Delaware River and established the colony of Pennsylvania. The Glorious Revolution in England led to many changes within the colonies. The colonies that had been absorbed into the Dominion of New England – Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey – all reverted to their former governments. 11 They were also able to retain their former status, â€Å"except Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth, which†¦were united under a new charter in 1691 as the royal colony of Massachusetts Bay. †12 Another change was the passage of the Bill of Rights and the Toleration Act in England in 1689, both of which â€Å"limited the powers of the country’s monarchs and affirmed a degree of freedom of worship for all Christians, thereby influencing attitudes – and the course of events – in the colonies. †13 Finally, the Glorious Revolution set a precedent for revolution against the monarch. In other words, it laid the groundwork for the American Revolution, which would free the colonies from British rule. 14 5. Explain how and why the British won the French and Indian War. The French and Indian War was the last of four major wars involving the European powers and their New World colonies. 15 In this particular war, the cause of contention was upper Ohio River valley. Controlled by the French, they became irate when some Virginians moved into the territory to make trade with the Indians easier, as well as to survey land granted to them by King George III. 16 Attempts to warn off the French failed, and eventually warfare broke out in the disputed area. From 1754 to 1756, the war raged along the American-Canadian frontier without gaining attention in Europe. 17 From 1756 until the war ended, it would be merged with the Seven Years’ War in Europe. 18 The change in status of the French and Indian War coincided with a change within the British government. William Pitt became Prime Minister of Britain, and under his leadership, the British would defeat the French. Allied with the Indians, who wanted the French out of their territory, the British utilized their superior naval fleet to cut off French reinforcements and supplies to the New World. 19 The decisive point of the war was the Battle of Quebec in 1759. After two months of attempting to break French defenses, the British were able to find a path that allowed them to get closer to the French camp. In the battle that followed, the British routed the French, thus ending French power in North America. 20

The Romance Novel Marriage Essay examples -- Marriage Married

The Romance Novel Marriage From the moment they saw each other they knew they were the perfect pair. They knew instantly that the other was their soul mate. It was love at first sight. This knowledge is followed by amazing sex. Then the ecstatic couple gets married and lives "Happily Ever After." I'm talking about the modern day adult fairy tale, also known as the romance novel. I've been reading these novels since I was in the seventh grade. My first one was titled Bitter Sweet, written by Laverle Spencer, and was found in my mom's closet. From there I graduated to the more sordid novels with half-naked people on the covers. My adolescent mind was absolutely fascinated and I could not wait until I found my guy and could experience those feelings first-hand. Fifteen years later, I'm happy to say that I realize the utter ridiculousness of hoping for a romance novel relationship. I'm glad I realized fairly early in my life that reality is never anything like the words on those pages. What many people fail to gra sp is that they are just entertainment. The modern marriage is given up on too easily; dashed to bits by its disgruntled participants with only a couple of swipes of their pens. Marriage should not be promoted as a fairy tale or romance novel, or as a place for the typical family to reside. Marriage should be promoted as hard and grueling work, but at the end of day after all the sweat and toil you have a partner for better or worse to share your world with. There is no "typical marriage." You should marry exactly who you want to, but when it starts getting messy, frustrating, and generally annoying, as marriage will, stick with it. Here, I will enter a short disclaimer: I do not believe anyone should stay in a marriage... ...equences and the effect it will have. Love is different for everyone, but what is the same in every successful relationship is the time and work put into it by the couple. My advice to everyone is to put down the romance novel images that you carry in your head about what love should be like. Fairy tales and books are nothing more than...well, fairy tales and books. Works Cited Shulman, Polly. "Great Expectations." From Psychology Today, March/April 2004. Rpt. in Elements of Argument: A Text and Reader. Annette T. Rottenberg and Donna Haisty Winchell. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006. 569-575. Pollack, William, and Todd Shuster. "The Sting of Divorce." From Real Boy's Voices by William Pollack. 2000. Rpt. in Elements of Argument: A Text and Reader. Annette T. Rottenberg and Donna Haisty Winchell. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2006. 567-568.

Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen

Independent Reading A Guide to Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen â€Å"Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies do divert me, I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can. † Special Considerations Copyright Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. The Novel at a Glance Pride and Prejudice (1813) is a comedy of manners that explores how considerations of money, family background, and personal vanity can complicate the course of true love. Setting: Mostly in rural Hertfordshire in England in the late eighteenth century.Protagonist: Elizabeth Bennet, the most intelligent and complex daughter in a family of five unmarried isters who have no prospect of inheriting wealth. Structure: The novel is divided into three each subdivided into many short chapters. The plot involves pairs of lovers who seem destined never to get together because of the opposition of powerful blocking fgures and forces. The couples, however, after bringing the entire community together, are happily married in the end. Conflicts: The plot is propelled by the need of the female characters to find suitable husbands.The main conflicts are the obstacles or blocks that get in the way of achieving these marriages. The obstacles are both external (the want of beauty, money, sense, r social connections) and internal (an inability to discern the true character or feelings of another). Resolution: By learning from her experience and honestly evaluating herself, Elizabeth gains a husband who is not only wealthy but truly worthy. She overcomes her prejudice against Fitzwilliam Darcy, which was based on his appearance of pride, and he overcomes his prejudice against her family, which was based on pride in his own social rank and good manners.Themes: Knowledge comes through caretul reasoning and considered experience, unclouded by pride or prejudice based on rank or mere appearances. Of Special Note: By means of comic irony and satirical exaggeration, Austen exposes the social and moral foll ies of her society. The vocabulary of Pride and Prejudice should pose no major problems to upper-grade-level students reading at grade level, but all students, especially those reading below grade level, should be prepared to encounter a society whose social and economic conditions are markedly different from those of today.They can learn a great deal about Austen's world from the novel itself, but some understanding of the British system of inherited wealth and the position of omen within that system during the early nineteenth century will help orient them. Background Entailed Property. In the traditional British class system, wealth was passed on via the inheritance of family property, an annual income for life, or both. Inherited wealth conferred far more status than money earned by work. Family estates were usually inherited by the oldest son; and other sons, and sometimes daughters, were given smaller incomes.An entail is a restriction on the inheritance of family property, an d in the case of the Bennets, the entail stipulated that Longbourn, the family home, be passed on to a male cousin. The Eighteenth-century Gentlewoman. The Bennet sisters were considered gentlewomen because their father had inherited some wealth and therefore did not have to work to earn money. Because of the entail, however, they would not inherit any wealth of their own, unlike Georgiana Darcy and Caroline Bingley, whose fathers' estates were so large that all the children were designated to inherit.Since it was not respectable or generally even feasible for gentlewomen to work, the Bennet sisters had no option but to find husbands who could support them and maintain their position in the class to which they were born. If they did not marry, hey would have to depend on the generosity of male relatives. Jane Austen's own situation was typical of the time: she remained with her father until he died and then moved to her brother's house. What was not typical was that she wrote books and was paid for her work. Pride and Prejudice 1 Mrs.Bennet, a frivolous woman, bent on making advantageous matches for her five daughters but lacking the ability to Judge the worth of their prospective suitors. She makes silly comments, otten at inappropriate times. Mr. Bennet, an intelligent but usually aloof man who looks on his wife and the marital dilemmas of his daughters with detached amusement. Notable for witty comments. Jane Bennet, the eldest daughter (in her early twenties), very beautiful and sweet- tempered, always ready to think well of others and modestly of herself†the friend and foil of her sister Elizabeth.Elizabeth Bennet, at first too quick and confident in her Judgments, she refines her knowledge of herself and her ability to evaluate others. More outspoken and opinionated than her sister Jane. Mary, Catherine (Kitty), and Lydia Bennet, the three younger sisters, flat characters who change little in response to experience. Mary is a pedant with no real kn owledge. Lydia's high spirits are unrestrained by good ense. Charles Bingley, a good-looking, wealthy, and agreeable young man, who falls in love with Jane but whose courtship of Jane is not encouraged by his friend Darcy or his fashionable sister Caroline, who wishes to marry Darcy.Functions as a foil for Darcy. Fitzwilliam Darcy, a handsome, dignified gentleman, heir to great property and wealth. A reserved man, ill at ease with strangers and mindful of social rank. He strikes the Bennets as cold and aloof. Falls in love with Elizabeth. Reverend William Collins, a clergyman and cousin of Mr. Bennet, who has ingratiated himself with the formidable Lady Catherine de Bourgh and stands to inherit Longbourn. He is accepted by Elizabeth's plain, practical friend, Charlotte Lucas, after Elizabeth rejects his marriage proposals.

The Effects Of Cultural Diversity On Our Culture - 1798 Words

In this country, we have been blessed throughout the years with an immense wave of cultural diversity. Very few countries in the world have such a wide variety of different people from all different places and walks of life like our country does. Whether this is something we welcome or not, it has had the power to influence our culture in several different aspects. Much like we have various languages spoken in our country, as well as various types of food that we enjoy, we also have various religions being practiced as well. People bring their religious beliefs and practices with them when they come here, and they remain faithful to those beliefs despite moving to a country that may or may not practice that culture. They seek other†¦show more content†¦It is easy to overlook how much these two aspects influence each other, but the truth is they are more connected than we would ever think. According to Acts 17:16-34 â€Å"The apostle Paul found himself surrounded by many idols in the city of Athens in Greece. When coming across this wonderful realization, his spirit was inspired which caused him to want share his faith as much as he could. He would go about the marketplace every day and speak to people who would be there, as well as go into synagogues and try to reason with Jews about Jesus and his resurrection. Some people would listen to him intently, while others would simply resort to mocking him or wonder what we was even trying to talk about. Even some of the Stoic and Epicurean philosophers would speak to him, again, some would listen with curiosity while others would merely find him and his remarks ridiculous. Eventually, those who were curious about what he had to say and his new teachings took him to the Areopagus. Once there, standing in the middle of everything, Paul addressed the people of Athens about their faith, He noted how religious they truly were, perhaps without them even noticing, and how there were many altars and idols around Athens that held great meaning. Paul explained to them how the God they worshipped and believed in, did not live in temples made by man nor did he