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#1001168032 LIN200TUT5203
In my essay, I will be defending my position that there is a universal definition of ‘word’ that can be applied to all languages. For proving my point, I will provide example of two totally different language systems; Chinese and English. These two languages are considered to be used by the most number of people in the world (Wan & Yim 507). First, I will discuss the case that the origin of these two languages system is similar. Both languages originate with similar rules: hieroglyphic words and eyes movement. I will provide many interesting examples about eyes movement in from “Comparative Patterns of Reading Eye Movement in Chinese and English” by Fushun Sun, Michon Morita, Lawrence W. Stark).
Second, I will discuss that the case of rules of pronunciation of two languages’ word, in particular English word and French word. Both two language systems have similar pronunciation rules (Low 107). Comparative Stylistics of French and English: A Methodology for Translation by Jean-Paul Vinay and Jean Darbelnet provides us many examples of similarity of structures and lexical aspects about similar meaning of words.
Finally, I will discuss about the similarity of writing mode between Chinese and Japanese as many words from the two languages are similar. A historical event published by Technological Information Article in 2012 (Edition 32) by Fang Ling Wu states that there is a famous study conducted abroad from Japan to China. Japanese student learnt a lot of Chinese words’ syntax in order to develop Japanese words. The following three evidences will help me to achieve my position that the definition of words is universal.
- Chinese from hieroglyphic and English from Latin (Latin originated from hieroglyphic words)
- Chinese represents Asian language culture system whereas English represents Euro-American culture system
-similar reading eyes movement
2. English and French (words’ phonology and morphology)
- English and French mostly represent European countries and American countries
- Similar phonology: French and English have same number of letters, only few letters have different pronunciations
- Similar morphology: At least 50% French words and English words have exactly same spelling
3. Japanese and Chinese (words’ syntax and phonology)
- Similar cultural background, similar syntax and similar writing rules are similar (some words are written in a similar way).
- Habit of pronunciation: Asian people like to speak in a shifting voice and suffixation of a nonsyllabic ’’r’’ to nouns and sometimes verbs
Annotated Bibliography:
Comparative Patterns of Reading Eye Movement in Chinese and English by Fushun Sun, Michon Morita and Lawrence W. Stark (p. 503-504) provide an interesting subject experiment that people have similar habits in reading several Chinese and English words providing us evidence that both languages have similar morphology. The reading suggests that capable native readers of both languages demonstrated an identical eye-movement pattern when given similar identical reading materials and tasks.
Comparative Stylistics of French and English: A Methodology for Translation by Jean-Paul Vinay & Jean Darbelnet (p. 93-96) illustrate the similarity of French and English words structure by explaining the simple way to translate the difference between two structures. The translation-oriented distinguishable analyses of the grammar and style of the two languages are comprehensively epitomized through the examples of texts, phrases, and expressions.
Technological information’ academic paper in 2012 (Edition 32) by Fang Ling Wu illustrates an interesting historical event whereby one thousand years ago, many Japanese students visited China for studying the Chinese words’ syntax and phonology. This source can help me in proving my point that both Chinese and Japanese have similar syntax and phonology. The adaptation of characters from Chinese for the representation of Japanese language helped in the emergence of many homophonic and phonologic representations.
Works Cited
Low, Ee Ling. Pronunciation for English as an International Language: From Research to Practice. London: Routledge, 2014. Print.
Wan, Song, and Anthony P. C. Yim. Cardiothoracic Surgery in China: Past, Present, and Future. Hong Kong: Chinese UP, 2007. Print.
