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What is language?
The term Language can be defined in different ways as follows:
Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols and signs that are conventionally used for human communication
OR
Language is the conventional system of arbitrary vocal symbols used by human beings for communication
Language is defined a rule-governed system for human communication. The traditional areas of linguistic inquire are phonology (sound system), morphology (word formation), syntax (word order), semantics (meaning), and lexicon (vocabulary)
– A language is a system of communication which consists of a set of sounds and written symbols which are used by the people of a particular country or region for talking or writing.
– A language is the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way.
– A Language is a system of conventional spoken, manual, or written symbols by means of which human beings, as members of a social group and participants in its culture, express themselves. The functions of language include communication, the expression of identity, play, imaginative expression, and emotional release.
– Language is a system of arbitrary and conventional vocal symbols through which thought (message) is conveyed from one human being to another i.e. from the speaker or order to the listener or reader.
Human beings can communicate with each other. We are able to exchange knowledge, beliefs, opinions, wishes, threats, commands, thanks, promises, declarations, feelings – only our imagination sets limits.
We can laugh to express amusement, happiness, or disrespect, we can smile to express amusement, pleasure, approval, or bitter feelings, we can shriek to express anger, excitement, or fear, we can clench our fists to express determination, anger or a threat, we can raise our eyebrows to express surprise or disapproval, and so on, but our system of communication before anything else is language
In this blog of Msomi Bora, we shall tell you a lot about language, but as a first step towards a definition we can say that it is a system of communication based upon words and the combination of words into sentences. Communication by means of language may be referred to as linguistic communication, the other ways mentioned above – laughing, smiling, shrieking, and so on – are types of non-linguistic communication
KEY TERMS IN THE DEFINITION OF LANGUAGE
1. Language is a system
A system means a group of interrelated parts that function as a whole for a particular purpose
Any system has fixed rules that have to be followed. So language is a system because it is governed by some fixed rules for it to be used.
If the system is not followed, then we say the language is not correct.
For example;
(i) she has eaten some food.
(ii) Food she eaten has some.
The second sentence is not correct because the rule has not been followed.
An Introduction To Language – English Language 1 Notes Form 5 & 6
2. Language is Arbitrary
Language is arbitrary because there is no direct relationship between words and what they mean. (Referent)
The whole process of forming a language is done haphazardly. Hence a person hearing an English word for the first time cannot understand the meaning of a word unless he / she is told by the English speaker
3. Language is vocal
Language is vocal because the ideas are mostly transmitted through speaking (orally). Even when the language is written down, letters or other graphics stand for sounds. Therefore language is primarily vocal.
4. Language is Human
Language is human because human beings are the only species in the world that use language in their communication.
Other organisms communicate but their communication is not language.
5. Language is symbol
A symbol is something that stands for something else. Language is made by symbols because it consists of words. These words represent objects, ideas, concepts and people
For example a word “man” represents an adult male or “mother” represents one’s female parent
NOTES 2: ELEMENTS OF LANGUAGE
The definition of language consists of several key terms/elements as follows.
1. System
(a) Language is a system in the sense that it is a collection of sign or symbols i.e. It assembles together the smaller units to form the larger units and these units are arranged in a regular order.
For example: phonemes-syllable-morphemes-words-phrases-clauses-sentences-paragraph-comprehension.
(b) Language is constituted by several elements which are arranged in a regular fixed order, such elements include subject, verb, object, complement and adverbial.
For example: –
The boy has been here since yesterday
S V A A
He left your book in my room last week
S V O A A
(c) Language being a system is also constituted by various subsystems such as sound system, structural system and meaning system.
2. Arbitrary
The arbitrariness of language is proven by the following facts.
In language there is no correspondence (similarity) between the symbols (sound or letters) and the realities, meanings or objects which are represented by those symbols.
For example: – the word dog with the four legged animal, table as a piece of furniture.
However language is arbitrary due to the fact that the linguistic symbols used in language were just picked haphazardly (with no particular plan or organization) i.e. there was no any formal meeting by any speech community which sat to form language. Each speech community has its own symbols representing different realities.
3. Vocal
Language is said to be vocal since each language is based on speech sounds that are produced by the vocal organs, (organ of the mouth, nose and throat) i.e. in spoken form language is presented through the vocal sounds (sounds from the mouth)
4. Symbol
Language is symbolic in the sense that language uses signs or symbols to represent realities, object or ideas.
There are two major types of symbols used in language
(a) The acoustic images (the sounds)
(b) The graphic signs (orthography letters 1 spellings)
These symbols represent realities, objects or ideas in spoken language; we use the acoustic images (sounds) where as in written language we use the graphic signs (letters)
5. Conventional
Language is conventional due to the fact that any human language (system of communication) ought to be mutually acceptable and understood by a particular speech community i.e. all members who use that particular language.
6. Message
Message is the key word language has the message since it is the message that is conveyed from one human being to another i.e. language is used as the medium through which ideas, opinions or thought is carried from the speaker or writer to the listener or reader.
The participants in language communicate the message to each other thus message is the central element in any communication system (no message, no communication)
7. Human being
Language is used by human beings i.e. it has been proved that it is only the human being among all creatures who communicate by the use of language other creature do communicate using different systems or forms but they never use language as there means of communication.
