The structural view of language

The structural view of language is that language is a system of structually related elements for the transmission of meaning. These elements are usally descibed as

• phonological units (phonemes)
• grammatical units (phrases, clauses, sentences)
• grammatical operations (adding, shifting, joining or transforming elements)
• lexical items (function words and structure words)

Here are some of the areas of research in this view of language:

• linguistic analysis
• textual discourse analysis

The target of language learning, in the structural view, is the mastery of elements of this system.

Some of the language learning methods based on this view of language are:

• the Audiolingual method
• Total Physical Response
• the Silent Way

Adapted from Richards and Rodgers 1986

• Fact module: The structural view of language
• In overview module: Three views about the nature of language
• In overview module: Information about language and language learning
• In modular book: Prepare for Language Learning, by Carol J. Orwig
• In bookshelf: Language Learning

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 3.5, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 8 April 1999

© 1999 SIL International