Th e La w s o f

H u m a n La n g u a g e

Free powerpoints at http://www.worldofteaching.com

Fromkin and Rodman (1988)

NUMBER 1H U M A N B E IN G S

=

L A N G U A G E

NUMBER 2

T H E R E A R E N O

“ P R IM IT IV E ”

L A N G U A G E S

NUMBER 3TH E R E LA TIO N S H IP

B E TW E E N S O U N D A N D M E A N IN G IS ( m o s t ly )

A R B ITR A R Y

NUMBER 4L A N G U A G E IS A N

IN F IN IT E A R R A Y O F S E N T E N C E S F R O M

A F IN IT E S E T O F S O U N D S A N D

S IG N S .

IE . W O R D S IN TE R A C T ( S E E Z ip f ’ s la w )

NUMBER 5A LL G R A M M A R S

C O N TA IN R U LE S F O R F O R M IN G W O R D S /

S E N TE N C E S

O F A S IM ILA R K IN D .

NUMBER 6 A L L L A N G U A G E S A R E M A D E U P O F

D IS C R E T E S O U N D S ( P h o n e m e s ) W H IC H

H A V E A L IM IT E D S E T O F

P R O P E R T IE S

NUMBER 7S IM IL A R

G R A M M A T IC A L C A T E G O R IE S A R E

F O U N D

IN A L L L A N G U A G E

( N o u n s , v e r b s e t c …. )

NUMBER 8T H E R E A R E

S E M A N T IC ( t h a t w h ic h g iv e s

m e a n in g ) U N IV E R S A L S IN A L L

L A N G U A G E S . ( m a le / f e m a le

a n im a t e / h u m a n )

NUMBER 9E VE R Y LA N G U A G E

H A S ITS

O W N LA W S

( w a y s o f n e g a t io n , f o r m in g q u e s t io n s , c o m m a n d in g e t c …)

NUMBER 10S P E A K E R S A R E

C A P A B L E O F P R O D U C IN G

A N D C O M P R E H E N D IN G

A N IN F IN IT E A R R A Y O F S E N T E N C E S

( s e e r u le #4 )

NUMBER 11

A L L N E W B O R N S A R E

C A P A B L E O F A C Q U IR IN G

A N Y L A N G U A G E

NUMBER 12

L A N G U A GE

=

C H A N G E

http://eflclassroom.ning.com