Linguistic Signs and Language Functions

Theme 1: Properties of the Linguistic Sign

The linguistic sign possesses several defining characteristics:

• Arbitrariness: The relationship between the signifier and the meaning is established by convention; it is an arbitrary ratio.
• Discontinuity: The linguistic sign is discontinuous because it can be segmented (e.g., librito).
• Linearity: In oral communication, sounds are emitted one after another so that they arrive at the receiver in a sequence.
• Immutability and Mutability: It is said that signs and languages are immutable because their form and meaning are given to us, yet they can also change over time.

Functions of Language

Language serves various purposes depending on the focus of the communication:

• Referential or Representational: Corresponds to the referent and transmits information about reality.
• Expressive or Emotive: Corresponds to the issuer and expresses feelings or opinions.
• Appellate or Conative: Corresponds to the receiver and attracts the attention of the recipient.
• Poetic: Corresponds to the message; it creates beauty and calls attention to the language itself.
• Metalinguistic: Corresponds to the code; it treats language itself as a code.
• Phatic: Corresponds to the channel; it ensures the channel is open, establishing or interrupting conversation.

Systems, Language, and Morphology

System: A set of units that relate to each other according to specific rules.

Language: Consists of a set of sign structures that relate to each other according to rules.

Morphology: It is the study of word structures, their parts, and their classes—specifically their internal constitution and their ability to form words.

The Word: A linguistic unit endowed with meaning, usually separated by two blank spaces in writing, which possesses independence and autonomy.

Classification of Morphemes

According to the type of information provided and their roles, morphemes are classified into specific groups:

• Lexical Morphemes (Lexemes): These have lexical meaning found in the dictionary, which the speaker identifies with mental reality (e.g., casa, cat, book).
• Grammatical Morphemes: These provide grammatical meaning concerning the language itself. They can express relationships between words in an utterance or specify gender, number, and person.

Forms of Morphemes

According to how they form words, morphemes may be:

• Free Morphemes: Words that can appear alone (e.g., sol, hand).
• Bound Morphemes: These must be locked to another lexeme to appear as part of a word (e.g., niñ-o).

Types of Grammatical Morphemes

• Inflections: These are units that report on gender and number; they are always located at the end of words. In verbs, these are called desinences. These morphemes do not create new words when added (e.g., niñ-o).
• Derivative Morphemes: These are units that change the meaning of a word and can create new dictionary entries.