Final answer:
Linguistic anthropologists study the origins and evolution of language, how language shapes thinking and social identities, and the social context of language use.
Step-by-step explanation:
Linguistic Anthropology and the Study of Language
Linguistic anthropologists study the complex relationship between language, culture, and society. They focus on three major features of language:
- The origins of language and its biological and sociocultural evolution, including the relationship between language and early human societies.
- How language shapes thinking, worldviews, and social identities, functioning as a tool for asserting power and resisting authority.
- The social context of language use, exemplified by speech communities and how language varies according to factors like age, gender, class, and ethnicity (sociolinguistics).
Through studying these aspects, linguistic anthropologists gain insights into how language acts as a building block for human culture and affects our comprehension of the world.