Language Characteristics PDF

**What is language?** - According to the **Britannica online encyclopedia:** - **Language** is "a system of conventional spoken, manual (signed), or written symbols by means of which human beings, as members of a social group and participants in its culture, express themselves. - Ac...

**What is language?** - According to the **Britannica online encyclopedia:** - **Language** is "a system of conventional spoken, manual (signed), or written symbols by means of which human beings, as members of a social group and participants in its culture, express themselves. - According to **Bloch and Trager**: - [a language is a system of arbitrary vocal sounds through a social group that cooperates.] - There are currently over **7000 different languages in the world**, yet these languages all share common characteristics. **10 main characteristics of language** **1. Language is arbitrary** Swiss linguist **De Saussure** claimed that language is arbitrary because of the **lack of a natural relationship between the signifier** (*language form)* and **the signified** (*referent*). The sounds of a word give very little to no clue to the meaning of the word. When you say or write dog, it doesn't really give us any clue to what it means. The word doesn't even sound like a barking dog. **However, some linguists claim that is not entirely true.** **[There are cases where language is not arbitrary]**. Take **[onomatopoeias]** like woof-woof, for example. These words do give clues as to their meaning and, we, adults, use them to help children learn language. **2. Language is acquired and not instinctive** Though we are born with the ability to learn and acquire language, **language itself is not innate or biologically determined.** Infants acquire language through exposure and this develops as they begin to explore and experiment with it. The language that a person learns is determined by cultural and social factors, i.e., the languages spoken in their family, community, and school. The non-instinctive nature of language means that it is shaped by cultural and social factors over time, examples of this include technological advances, globalization, and migration. We can see this when comparing how the English spoken by our grandparents, for example, is already different from that spoken by our children. **3. Language is symbolic** **Almost every single language system ever used by humans is primarily made up of symbols**. **A symbol** is something that **stands in for or represents something else.** From Egyptian hieroglyphs to Bislama, a language spoken in Vanuatu, every drawing or sound is a symbol representing meaning. **Symbols** can be **communicated verbally** (speaking the word hello), **in writing** (putting the letters H-E-L-L-O together), or **nonverbally** (waving your hand back and forth). Language is a symbolic system of communication based on a complex system of rules relating to spoken, signed, or written symbols. **4. Language is systematic** Though language is symbolic, it is systematic in nature. **This means each language has its own set of rules, conventions, and patterns that govern how all of the elements work together to communicate meaning.** The patterns and rules aren't arbitrary. Instead, they reflect the underlying language structure. In English, for example, there are things like word order rules like subject-verb-object (e.g., "he touched the book"). Moreover, the system extends to phonetics and sounds. Each different spoken language has phonemes that combine in specific ways to form words and sentences. Usually, the rules are predictable and consistent, though some languages (e.g., Spanish) are more phonetic than others (e.g., English). **5. Language is social** Language is **social in that interaction** with **other persons** is psychologically necessary to learn language. We **use language to be in a community**, to **communicate with others.** We **depend on others when learning language**, and we constantly borrow one another's uses of expression. Language helps us perform various social functions, and many of its uses have become institutionalized. Language use is also part of social identity. I speak French therefore I share some characteristics, attitudes with other French speakers. **6. Language is cultural** Whenever you learn about another country, **one of the biggest aspects of its culture is the language or languages spoken there.** **Culture is transmitted through the use of language**. The reason we know about past events, for instance, is entirely because of language. As such, our culture is engrained in the language we use. It is more than just a means of communication; it's also a powerful tool that is linked intimately to our identity and history. The vocabulary and structures people use reflect their own priorities, experiences, and perspectives. This, unconsciously, expresses and reinforces the values and norms of a culture. For instance, certain languages have words and concepts that reflect their beliefs and cultural practices, like the role of religion. **7. Language is dynamic** Language is dynamic because it is **always changing, evolving, and adapting to the needs of its users.** The language we use today is different from the language our parents used and different from that used in Middle Ages. **New words appear regularly**. **Dictionaries change**. **Pronunciation differs**. **Even grammar rules evolve.** As long as the needs of language users continue to change, so will the language. Language is constantly adapting and changing to reflect our changing lives, experiences and cultures. Language change enables us to accommodate new ideas, inventions and technologies. It's not just the words themselves which change; the way in which we use them can shift too. But languages are also dynamic in the way that whole systems (a complete language) die. Languages disappear every day as users/speakers die. **8. Language is Vocal**: Language is **primarily made up of vocal sounds only produced by a physiological articulatory mechanism in the human body.** In the beginning, it appeared as vocal sounds only. Writing came much later, as an intelligent attempt to represent vocal sounds. Writing is only the graphic representation of the sounds of the language. So, the linguists say that speech is primary. **9. Language is meaningful** **A language signal/symbol always conveys meaning[.]** In linguistic terms, all the symbols/signals of language have **a semantic content.** The semantic content means each symbol is associated with something in the real world. Humans are able to give the same symbol a meaning, and very often, more than one meaning, and they're still able to distinguish all of them. **10. Language is human** Language is considered to be a trait that's **unique to humans** for many reasons. **Firstly, human language is much more sophisticated and complex compared to the rudimentary ways in which animals communicate.** It allows for the expression of abstract concepts and can be used creatively and flexibly. **Secondly, it is not innate, unlike animal communication methods and it is not tied to a specific situation or stimulus**[. Animal communication], for example[, cannot hypothesize or be abstract.] **SOURCES:** [**https://bilingualkidspot.com/2022/07/27/characteristics-of-language/**](https://bilingualkidspot.com/2022/07/27/characteristics-of-language/) [**https://learnlanguagesfromhome.com/characteristics-of-language/**](https://learnlanguagesfromhome.com/characteristics-of-language/) [**https://englishfinders.com/characteristics-of-language/**](https://englishfinders.com/characteristics-of-language/) **https://neoenglish.wordpress.com/**