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 Ling 131: Language & Style
 

Topic 1 (session A) - Levels of language: Linguistic levels, style & meaning > Levels of language

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Session Overview
How Writing Happens ...
Levels of language
Language levels - just a metaphor
Levels of language & advertising slogans
Intertextuality
 
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'Levels' of Language

On this topic we explore some of the different aspect of language. These are often referred to as 'language levels'.

If we want to look carefully at language and how it works we have to notice that there are various different aspects of language structure which need separate consideration. These are often referred to by linguists as the different levels of language. If we just think of a single sentence for the moment, we would need at least the following levels:

Meaning

e.g. Lexis ('word meaning')
e.g. Semantics ('sentence meaning')

Grammar

i.e. Syntax and Morphology

Sounds/Writing
Shapes

i.e. Phonology (speech)
i.e. Graphology (writing)

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We will be looking at each of these language levels in turn:

 


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