Anthropology: Language in Society
Assignment
You have two one-page essays to write. Your answer to each question should be roughly one page long. When you cite readings use the Chicago style. For more information on how to cite properly following the Chicago style . Remember to include a bibliography when you cite. Points will be deducted for lack of organization, improper or missing citations (including web pages) and references, as well as for vague, general, and/or unsupported arguments.
Question #1: Discuss the sentence "Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.' How is it an argument for the idea that syntax takes precedence over (is more important than) semantics?
Question #2: What are the linguistic reasons for the ambiguity expressed in the following sentences, and how is the ambiguity resolved?
A) "Sea turtles rescued from the Gulf spill released." (Associated Press headline, 15 June 2010)
B) "Qaddafi Forces Bear Down on Strategic Town as Rebels Flee." (New York Times 10 March 2011)
Related materials:
1. The Social Art (TSA), Chapters 1-11, 23.
2. Language Myths (LM) #7.
3. View the film ‘Discovering Psychology 6: Language Development'