What is the productivity of fundamental properties of languages?
Productivity, also known as creativity, is a fundamental property of human languages that refers to the ability to generate and understand an infinite number of sentences and ideas using a finite set of elements and rules. This allows speakers to produce novel utterances and convey new meanings. Here are the key aspects and examples to illustrate productivity in language:
Key Points
1. Infinite Combinatory Potential:
Finite Elements: Languages have a limited number of phonemes, morphemes, and syntactic rules.
Infinite Combinations: These elements can be combined in countless ways to create new words, phrases, and sentences.
2. Generativity:
Speakers can create and understand sentences they have never heard before. For example, “The blue elephant danced gracefully on the moon” is a novel sentence that is understandable despite likely never having been encountered before.
3. Syntax and Recursion:
Syntax rules allow for the combination and recombination of words into larger structures. Recursion enables embedding sentences within sentences, creating potentially infinite depth. For instance, “The cat that the dog chased ran up the tree that was next to the house.”
4. Word Formation:
New words can be created through processes like compounding, derivation, and borrowing. For example, “internet” (a compound of “inter-” and “network”), “unhappiness” (derived from “happy” with prefixes and suffixes), and “pizza” (borrowed from Italian).
Examples of Productivity
English
1. Sentence Generation:
Finite Elements: Phonemes like /k/, /æ/, /t/ and words like “cat”, “chased”, “mouse”.
Infinite Combinations: “The cat chased the mouse” vs. “The mouse chased the cat” vs. “The small, grey cat quickly chased the large, frightened mouse.”
2. Recursion:
“I believe that she thinks that he knows that they will come to the party.”
3. Word Formation:
Compounding: “toothbrush”, “laptop”
Derivation: “happiness” (from “happy”), “unbelievable” (from “believe”)
Borrowing: “sushi” (from Japanese), “cafe” (from French)
Chinese
1. Sentence Generation:
Finite Elements: Characters like 我 (wo, I), 吃 (chi, eat), 饭 (fan, rice/meal).
Infinite Combinations: 我吃饭。(wo chi fan, I eat a meal) vs. 他吃饭。 (ta chi fan, He eats a meal) vs. 我昨天吃饭了. (Wo zuotian chi fan le, I ate a meal yesterday).
2. Recursion:
我知道他觉得你不喜欢这本书。(wo zhidao ta juede ni bu xihuan zhe ben “I know that he thinks that you do not like this book.”
3. Word Formation:
Compounding: 电话 (dian-hua = telephone, 电 dian = electricity, 话 hua = speech)
Derivation: 上网 shang-wang = online, 上 shang = up, 网 wang = net.
Borrowing: 咖啡 kafei = coffee from English.
Conclusion
Productivity is a defining feature of human language, enabling speakers to create and interpret an endless variety of sentences and ideas. This property arises from the combinatory and recursive nature of linguistic elements and rules, allowing for the expression of novel and complex thoughts. Productivity highlights the creative potential inherent in language, facilitating communication, innovation, and cultural development.