Linguistic and psychological aspects of the differentiation of terms «language» and «speech»

Abstract

The article is aimed at the research of the differentiation of terms «language» and «speech», given in modern reference sources, scientific-linguistic and psychological literature. Attention is drawn to fact that many linguists emphasize the need for the differentiation of terms «language» and «speech». Different scholars’ views on the issue of understanding the scope of these terms and the criteria of their separation from each other are also presented in the article. It is noted that from the psychological point of view there is a «continual» and «active» interpretation of speech as a speech activity. It is emphasized that according to the level and needs of modern psychology and linguistics, the optimal research of the issue of language and speech involves the presence of not two-, but a three-member system of categories, which, in its turn, is related to the category of speech activity.