sheer joy of using it, such as a baby’s babbling or a
chanter’s chanting.
1.5.7 Metalingual function
The metalingual function means people can use language
to talk about itself. E.g. I can use the word “book” to talk
about a book, and I can also use the expression “the word
book” to talk about the sign “b-o-o-k” itself.
1.6 What is linguistics?
Linguistics is the scientific study of language. It studies
not just one language of any one community, but the language
of all human beings.
1.7 Main branches of linguistics
1.7.1 Phonetics
Phonetics is the study of speech sounds, it includes three main
areas: articulatory phonetics, acoustic phonetics, and
auditory phonetics.
1.7.2 Phonology
Phonology studies the rules governing the structure,
distribution, and sequencing of speech sounds and the shape
of syllables.
1.7.3 Morphology
Morphology studies the minimal units of meaning – morphemes