Linguistic anthropology, the branch of anthropology that studies the language as an essential element of human nature and its integration into public communications, places an emphasis on the function of language in the context of universal and culturally specific features of human behaviour. The power of speech, as a human capacity, specified with psychophysical organization and functioning of the human brain and the human speech organs, is an essential part of the definition of human interaction.
Language as an indispensable part of the culture, and as such, defines us as members of cultural and social groups based on our interactions. More specifically, linguistic characteristics appear as attributes of personality, by taking part in shaping the identity of every individual.
Based on the fact that in all the three major forms of human existence (general biology, and special – socio-cultural and psychological) abilities to acquire language has one of the most important roles in determining a man’s identity, linguistic anthropology seeks an interdisciplinary approach to establish a continuity between these categories, which are allocated in the study of the context of other linguistic disciplines (descriptive and historical linguistics, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics and ethnography of communication).
As an independent discipline, linguistic anthropology stemmed from the intense research of Indian culture and their language without letters in the first half of the twentieth century.
At Homework Help UK we look at linguistic anthropology in the scope of the main areas of research which include the interplay between language, culture and society, and biological foundations of language through the origin, evolution and the process of language acquisition.
In some extents, linguistic anthropology overlaps with ethnolinguistics and sociolinguistics. Trust the professional experts at Homework Help UK, get a quote now.
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