新编语言学教程名词解释(部分重点) 刘润清版 (1) linguistics: （语言学）the scienti c or systematic study of language. (2) language: （语言）a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. (3) arbitrariness: （任意性）the absence of similarity between the form of a linguistic sign and what it relates to in reality, e.g. the word dog does not look like a dog. (4) duality:（双重性） the way meaningless elements of language at one level (sounds and letters) combine to form meaningful unit
