Two girls learning American Sign Language

The dichotomy of language and speech

A dichotomy is any splitting of a whole into exactly two non-overlapping parts. In other words, it is a mutually exclusive bipartition of elements. i.e. nothing can belong simultaneously to both parts, and everything must belong to one part or the other. They are often contrasting and spoken of as "opposites." The term comes from dichotomos (divided): dich- ([in] two) temnein (to cut). The above applies directly when the term is used in mathematics, linguistics. For example, if there is a concept A, and it is split into parts B and not-B, then the parts form a dichotomy: they are mutually exclusive, since no part of B is contained in not-B and vice-versa, and they are jointly exhaustive, since they cover all of A, and together again give A.

One of the fundamental concepts of linguistics is the dichotomy of «language and speech» (langue—parole) introduced by F. de Saussure. According to it language is a system of elementary and complex signs-phonemes, morphemes, words, word combinations, utterances and combinations of utterances. Language as such a system exists m human minds only and linguistic forms or units can be systematise" into paradigms. language is a mentally organised system of linguistic units. An ъ0 .. aj speaker never uses it. When we use these units we mix m in acts of speech. As distinct from language speech is not relv mental phenomenon, not a system but a process of combining these linguistic elements into linear linguistic units that are called syntagmatic. The result of this process is the linear or syntagmatic combination of vowels and consonants into words, words into word-combinations and sentences and combination of sentences into texts.

3.What is the distinction between the terms «substance» and «form»? What do we mean by the content and expression? What forms of speech do you know? A formal definition consists of three parts: the term, the part of speech to which it belongs, such as a noun or a verb, and all the traits or characteristics that are specific to that term. The dictionary is filled with formal definitions, but it is not the only place where you will find them. Writers often include formal definitions when they are writing about something that may be unfamiliar to their readers. In textbooks, you may find the formal definition of terms listed at the beginning, at the end of a chapter, or in the glossary, which is a mini-dictionary of terms relevant to that text.

Formal definition example:

Term: freedom

Part of speech: noun

Definition: The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.