Nature of Language

Language a system
What is Language?
Language is the most important phenomenon in the world. From birth to death, all our
activities are regulated by language. The human knowledge and culture is stored and
transmitted in language. Language is a mean of communication. With the help of language, we
can express our thoughts and feelings to others. Without language, society would be
impossible. Thinking is only possible through language. In our dreams, we make use of
language. Language dominates every aspect of human life. In fact, it is a yardstick to separate us
from other beings.

Why is language a system?

Language is learnt
innate talent

Learning of language is not an automatic process. Of course, it is a behaviour but it is not

type of behaviour like walking and crawling that comes to child in natural way. Language by
imitation and practice. Language is not possible without effort.

Language is related to the culture of society

Every language is related to culture of society to which it belongs. The culture of the people
naturally in uences the language. Every language is the product of society. We cannot separate
language from the culture in which that language exists. It has meaning only in relation to that
society and culture.

Language is species speci c

Language is species speci c. Only human beings have got the gift of language. Of course,
the other species do communicate but only human beings can make use of language.

Language is species uniformed

Language is species uniformed. All human children are capable of acquiring any language
natively if they are provided the right kind of environment.
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Language is a system
Each language is a unique system. The system of language consists of sounds, structures
and vocabulary. A person who wants to learn a new language will have to learn new sounds,
new structures and new vocabulary. The sound system of language differs from language to
language depending upon the culture to which a language belongs. Each language has its own
system of vocabulary. Thus each language is systematic.

Language is a system of systems

Each language is a system of systems. There are phonological and grammatical systems
in all languages. There are several sub systems with in a language. The phonology of a language
forms its own system as the various sounds function in a systematic way.

Language is a system of symbols

Each language works through symbols. Different words used in a language are the
symbols. They stand for certain things. The language will function well if its symbols are known
both to the speaker and the person for whom they are being used.
For example the world cup has three sounds (K, Л, P) It is a symbol of English because a
meaning is attached to it. But if we take the same three sounds like, K, Л, P they do form Puc, but
that is not a symbol of English language as no meaning is attached to it.

Symbols of language are vocal

Different symbols are used in a single language. These symbols are vocal. A language
system does not exist in a vacuum. It is primary used in speech. Only speech provides all
essential signals of a language. There are other kinds of symbols which cannot be called vocal
symbols. For example, gestures and signal ags are visual symbols and ringing of the bells
and beating of a drum are auditory symbols. They do not form any language. In language the
sounds are produced through vocal organs. Reading and writing are no doubt important. But
speech is the basic form of language. A language without speech is unthinkable.

Language is a skill subject

Learning of a language is a skill subject. It is skill like swimming and cycling. We can not
learn swimming or cycling just by studying rules. We can learn it by practice. In the same
way, we can learn a language y constant practice of that language. So a lot of repetition for
major linguistic skills like listening, speaking, reading and writing is required.

Language is for communication

Language is the best means of communication and self expressions. Human beings
express their ideas, thoughts, feelings and emotions through language. In this way language is a
means to connect past present and future.
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Governed by a particular set of rules
Each language is governed by a particular set or rules. For example English is S.V.O.
language. In forming sentence, we put subject, then verb and after verb we put object.

EXAMPLES
The Man killed a snake.
Subject Verb Object
On the other hand, Hindi is S.O.V. language. First we put subject, he object and after object, we
put verb.
इं सान साँप को मारा .
Subject Object Verb

Symbols of language are Arbitrary

Here by arbitrary symbols we mean that there is no visual relationship between the
language item and the object for which it stands. A man is called man traditionally. There is
no visual similarity between the symbol ‘man’ and the actual man. We have not named it so on
the basis of some logic or scienti c principles. In English we say man, in ‘Hindi’ we say
‘manauYya’ and in Punjabi we say ‘___________’. None of them is better than the other. In fact, we
call a man ‘man’ because people have agreed to use it in that sense.

smart

Language is unique
Each language is unique because it has its own style of functioning. The sounds, vocabulary
and structures of every language have their own specialty.

Vernacular
Vernacular is the term used to describe language as it is used naturally by a speci c people.
What it describes can therefore vary depending on what we wish to specify: we could speak
about the vernacular of a country or a smaller community within a city, or of a certain time and
place (for example, we have a modern vernacular which would include vocabulary that would
not be part of the vernacular of, for example, fty years ago).

Lingua Franca
A lingua franca is a common language used between people who speak different languages.
As the full purpose is bridging gaps in communication, this can be very adaptable and therefore
will not necessarily stick to traditional language rules. English is used as a lingua franca all over
the world, more commonly in fact than it is used by native speakers, and in some cases may
even be taught in a speci c form to t these needs, rather than as standard English.
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 Pidgin
In a multiethnic society where different groups speak different languages but are required to
communicate on account of trade or any other necessity, there is often the birth of a common
language that is composed of words from several languages spoken by the population. This is
called a pidgin, a crude language that has simpli ed grammar and is task oriented and not a
language in the classic de nition of the word.

A pidgin is often a necessity when two groups come in contact with each other and these
groups do not have a common language. A pidgin never develops as a full- edged language
past a certain stage of development. It does, however, give birth to a Creole language.

1. "At rst a pidgin language has no native speakers and is used just for doing business with
others with whom one shares the pidgin language and no other. In time, most pidgin
languages disappear, as the pidgin-speaking community develops, and one of its
established languages becomes widely known and takes over the role of the pidgin as the
lingua franca, or language of choice of those who do not share a native language."
2. "Many . . . pidgin languages survive today in territories which formerly belonged to the
European colonial nations, and act as lingua francas; for example, West African Pidgin
English is used extensively between several ethnic groups along the West African coast."
3. “More than 100 pidgin languages are currently in use (Romaine, 1988). Most pidgins are
structurally simple, although if used over many generations, they do evolve, as do all
languages

Creole
Creole is a language that is developed as a result of mixing of two languages. Many believe
that when children adopt a pidgin as their primary language of communication; it develops and
becomes a Creole. Adults develop pidgin as a tool for communication, but children adopt it as
their primary language and develop it as a Creole. Creole develops as a result of extended
contact between two different groups of people having different languages of their own. Creole
becomes a standard language in its own right.

Dialect
Dialect, a variety of a language that signals where a person comes from. The notion is usually
interpreted geographically (regional dialect), but it also has some application in relation to a
person’s social background (class dialect) or occupation (occupational dialect).

Most generally, people will use the term to mean variations that are mutually intelligible. So
“American English” and “UK English” (in quotes because those are so broad to not really be
useful) differ in pronunciation, spelling, vocabulary - but in general, can be understood by each
other.
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Evolution of language

New Phase of Language

Text Language