Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics.pdf

Dictionary of language and linguistics 336ReferencesphoneticsdorsumThe back of the tongue. The articulator used to form dorsal sounds. ( alsoarticulation)double articulationStructural characteristic of natural languages which distinguishes them from othersystems of communication. According to Martinet (1965), linguistic expressions can bebroken down into two different levels: (a) the smallest meaning-bearing level (morpheme, or in Martinet’s terminology moneme); this is the smallest segmentconsisting of form and meaning; and (b) the smallest units which distinguish or contrastmeaning ( phoneme); the latter units have form, but no meaning in themselves. Thesecond structuring at the phonological level leads to the infinite productivity of naturallanguage based on a few dozen different sounds (or phonemes) and correspondingcombinatory rules. While bird calls, traffic signs, or groans (as an expression of pain) canonly be broken down into meaning-bearing units at the first level, and not into anysmaller contrasting units, linguistic expressions can be analyzed at both levels: no pet/sallow/ed consists of at least five meaning-bearing units, whereas the expression pet iscomposed of three phonemes. Thus double articulation is the basis for the economy andcreativity of human language.ReferencesMartinet, A. 1965. La Linguistique synchronique, études et recherches. Paris.——1966. Elements of general linguistics; with a foreword by L.R. Palmer, trans. by ElisabethPalmer. Chicago, IL.Martinet, A., J.Martinet, and H.Walter (eds) 1969. La Linguistique: guide alphabétique. Sous ladirection d’André Martinet. Paris.animal communication