Reconceptualization of Language Modularity: An Innovative Pragmatic Approach to Teaching English

Abstract

Language is varied and complicated. Language is modular, according to Jakobson, since it comprises two parts: meaningless sounds and meaningful signs. Chomsky believes people have unique modules and develop language modules intrinsically through universal grammar rules. Fodor considers the mind a family of modules with a language module. This article presents a novel and pragmatic perspective on the nature of language and its function in teaching English—vocabulary teaching.  Through the author’s research, this work has produced an innovative pragmatic view of language that can be implemented in teaching English. Language is a subsystem that is functionally operational, self-contained, demarcatable, indexable, teachable, learnable, instructible, computerizable, and connectable. Subsystems can include subsidiary subsystems, making them open- or closed-word classes. This novel view of language as a subsystem contributes to language teaching and learning. Subsystem Knowledge (SSK), including form, meaning, structure, use, information, and related concepts, is required for teaching and learning a subsystem. Additionally, the aim of this article is to elucidate the functionality of this pragmatic view of language in language teaching and provide a set of guidelines on how to implement it using cooking vocabulary as an example. The studies cited in this paper examine language modularity through a cognitive lens and do not have direct implications for language instruction, unlike the present perspective on language, which is pragmatic as it combines linguistics and language teaching. Understanding the various components of a subsystem is beneficial for practitioners in teaching English.

Keywords:Language learning, language modularity, subsystem knowledge, cooking vocabulary, vocabulary teaching and learning.

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/14-23-02

Publication date:August 31^st 2023