Linguistics may be defined as the scientific study of human natural language which involves the study of the nature, structure and variation of language, including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, socio-linguistics, bio-linguistics and pragmatics. Since linguistics is considered to be scientific study of natural human languages, we need to know the scientific approaches to carry out studies in this field.

1. Linguistics is a Science

2. Before Start- Quotation
“It is only since linguistics has
become more aware of its object of
study, i.e. perceives the whole
extent of it, that is evident that this
science can make a contribution to
a range of studies that will be of
interest to almost anyone.”
Ferdinand de Saussure
(26.11.1857 – 22.02.1913)
The Father of Modern

3. Introducing Linguistics
 Definition:
Linguistics is defined as the scientific study of human natural language, involving
the study of nature, structure and variation in language.
Semantics &
Pragmatics
Syntax
Morphology
Phonetics &
Phonology

4. Continued...
 Linguistics began its scientific career with the comparative study and
reconstruction of Indo-European languages.
 The term ‘science’ is used to define definition of general linguistics
 Linguistic study is carried out in systematic order
 It is objective in nature
 Language study proceeds by methods which can be publicly communicated,
described and justified by reference to stable principles and capable formed
theory
 Sole purpose in this study is analysis of materials , making summarized general
statements and relating rules and regularities of infinite varieties of language

5. Introducing Science
 Science is knowledge, as of facts or principles, knowledge gained by systematic
study
 Functioning of science includes: Observation, Identification, Description,
Experimental Investigation and Theoretical Explanation of Phenomena
 Science means Objective
 Nature of inquiry: Subjective, Active and Creative
 Science is committed to empirically provable/proven ideas
 Empirical proof or objective truth is the hallmark of science

6. Scientific Approaches in
Linguistics
1. Objectivity:
 Objectivity means judgement based on observable phenomena and uninfluenced
by emotions or personal prejudices
 For a linguist there is no primitive, pure, beautiful, cultural and sophisticated
language
 Objective study of language is hindered by various cultural, social and historical
misconceptions about certain languages
2. Empiricism:
 Theory, that all knowledge is based on experience derived from the senses
 Empiricism in linguistics is empirical, it examines the specific data and proceeds by
variables and justifiable
 Relies on observation and experiments, uses formalized principles and capable
theory formulated, aims to analyse data and make generalizations

7. Continued...
3. Rationalism:
 knowledge that is prior to experience and that arises through reason
 emphasize the role that mind plays in the acquisition of knowledge
 Noam Chomsky argues , unless one assumes that certain linguistic structures,
e.g., deep grammar, are innate, the argument goes, it is impossible to explain the
apparent ease with which human beings learn natural languages
Linguistics follows three canons of science for carrying out study
1. Exhaustiveness
 Linguistics deals with all relevant data, i.e. it analyses all the facts of languages
that fall within its scope
 studies systematically every linguistic element from all angles

8. Continued...
2. Consistency:
 allows no contradictory remarks or statements, requires that all parts of analysis
be consistent with the whole
 both motivates and constrains the process of analogical learning in a usage-
based grammar
 children learning a language, and speakers in general, represent linguistic units in
ways that maximize their motivation and emphasize their commonalities
3. Economy:
 repetition is not allowed either, and more economic statements containing fewer
concepts or symbols are preferred
 Andre Martinet, studied and analysed the principle of economy in linguistics,
testing its manifold applications in both phonology and syntax.

9. Linguistics in Relation with Natural
Science
 internal dimension of language is psychological and the external dimension is
cultural aspect
 Chomskyan tradition, the primary focus has been the internal dimension (I-
language, Chomsky 1986)
 From Lenneberg (1967) to Jenkins (2000), the ‘bio linguistic’ perspective has been
the leading thought
 Edward Sapir says, phonetics, a necessary pre-requisite for all exact work in
linguistics, is impossible without some grounding in acoustics and the physiology of
the speech organs
 Edward Sapir also says, the actual technique of language behaviour involves very
specific adjustments of a physiological sort

10. The End!!!
Thank You!
Presented By:
Zain Mohammad Sulaiman
Research Scholar
Department of Linguistics
Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh-202002