Prepared by A.A.

Chin

Communication Studies
Language and understanding Language

Defining Language

What is Language?
The following are dictionary definitions of language:
a. system of communications between humans, through written and vocal symbols;
b. speech peculiar to an ethnic, national or cultural group;
c. words especially employed in any art, branch of knowledge or profession;
d. a person’s characteristic mode of speech;
e. by extension, the articulate or inarticulate expression of thought and feeling by living creatures.

Except for definition (e), the above definitions are universally accepted. The general view of
language is that it is what separates the human species from others.

Language is recognised as having two possible interpretations: language and a language.

When we think of language we think of it in a general way and we define it to be the verbal form of
human expression. As such, it is therefore confined to a human context and not extended to any other
species.

When we think of a language we think of it in a specific way and we define it to mean any distinct
system of verbal expression, distinguished from other such systems by its peculiarities of structure and
vocabulary. That is to say that every language is distinct from other languages because of these features.
Therefore, Spanish, Portuguese, Jamaican Creole/Patois, English, Mayan, French and Chinese are each
categorised as a language; while all who are speakers of these languages, in verbally expressing
themselves, use language.

In a way this distinction between language and a language corresponds to the distinction between the
individual and the society respectively. When someone asks: "What language do you speak?" the person
is asking about a specific language; one spoken by a community of speakers. If one says, "Human
beings have language, but birds do not", the person may mean that human beings can speak but birds
cannot. The person is not referring to a specific language but to the ability to talk, to use words, to hear
and understand words. So, language refers to a natural ability, which all normal human beings have
while a language means a specific version used by some people who normally live in the same
community.

Language is a human being's ability to communicate, verbally and non-verbally, with other human
beings as well as with himself. It allows the transmission of desires, ideas and emotions from individual
to individual and within the same individual. Language is external in the form of sounds and symbols
and it is internal as mental activity. Language can be characterised as being: human, verbal, symbolic,
systematic, maturational, non-instinctive and dynamic.

Characteristics of Language

Characteristics of
Explanation of Characteristics
Language
1. Human Only humans have the capability to pronounce the wide variety of
sounds that are used in the world’s languages.

Where other creatures seem to have communication systems, which

enable them to perform basic functions, only the human species has
one, which allows such complexity and range of performance.

We know of no other species, which can express meanings about past

or future events, articulate abstract ideas or construct advertisements.

Only humans have the physical capabilities to pronounce a variety of

sounds that are used in the world’s languages.
The human brain capacity also provides the ability to deal with
complex issues, to reason and plan for the future.

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Even though higher - order apes can be taught to recognise words and
human sounds through rigorous training, they never achieve language
more sophisticated than that of a two year old.

They also lack the physical capabilities to vocalise words more

complicated than, for example, ‘Mom’, ‘Pop,’ ‘cup,’ ‘up.’

To a great extent, humans can choose the language they speak.

Language allows us to identify with a society or a culture. People can
choose to learn a new language for academic purposes, self-
improvement, or travel or trade.

Most countries have at least one official language as well as spoken

non-standard languages.

2. Verbal Human beings make language. It is first spoken then written. The
complex anatomy in the throat and mouth allows us to modify this
vibrating air in order to make the vowels and consonants of speech
and to manipulate its melodies, the intonation system. We have ears
to hear what others say as well as to monitor ourselves. We tend to
use our hands and arms when we talk and always when we write or
type. Our eyes allow us to read and are also important in
conversations.

Language is based on recognisable sounds (phonemes). Their

significance is arbitrarily determined and is unique to each language.
The sound of a language is not determined by how it is spelled –
spelling is simply an attempt to represent sound based on certain
traditions.

Many languages even use symbols called accents to change the

sounds and meanings of words. So, without understanding the sound
system of a language there can be no communication.

3. Symbolic Language has an arbitrary nature. The connection between the things
signified (e.g. Objects) and the words used to signify them.
Most words have an arbitrary but mutually agreed relationship
between the symbol and the meaning.

This means that the only reason why the word ‘square’ represents a
particular shape is that over the years the meaning has been accepted.
Sound symbols are determined by the society that uses them and
cannot be changed by the individual.

4. Systematic Languages have structure. It is this structure that makes it possible to

learn language.

Language is rule governed. It follows observable patterns that obey

certain inherent 'rules'.

To be fluent in a language requires both a mastery of its grammatical

rules and competence in the appropriate use of the sentences that are
structured by those rules.

5. Maturational Not only does language evolve but as individuals grow older their
ability to produce and comprehend language increases- language is
maturational.

Infants learn to recognise valid sounds and expressions and to discard

invalid ones.

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A language is always developing. Most languages do so as they

acquire vocabulary.

6. Non - instinctive Language is naturally acquired. It is suggested that there is a built-in

mechanism, which gives human beings the ability to acquire and
learn language; we are biologically conditioned.

While humans are born with the ability to acquire language, they can
do so through imitation. Therefore, a child raised in an environment
where he or she is not exposed to language will not learn to speak.

Culture also affects the language we acquire.

7. Dynamic Language is not static, it is always changing. Language changes

because the lives of speakers change, for example, as speakers come
into contact with other cultures or as new discoveries change their
way of life.

What We Know about Language

1. Wherever humans exist, language exists.
2. There are no primitive languages; all languages are equally complex and equally capable of
expressing any idea in the universe.
3. All languages change overtime.
4. The relationship to the sounds and meanings of spoken languages between signs and meanings of
sign language are for the most part arbitrary.
5. Every spoken language has a class of vowels.
6. All languages have grammatical categories.
7. Every language has a way of referring to past times, negating, forming questions and issuing
command.
8. Speakers of all languages are capable of producing and comprehending an infinite set of
sentences.
9. Any normal child born anywhere in the world is capable of learning any language he/she is
exposed to. Language is, therefore, culturally transmitted.
10. Humans must have others (humans) to produce language

Functions of Language
Language is one feature in man that has allowed man not only to survive but also to develop and
dominate other animals and to some small extent, nature itself. Language has facilitated the
strengthening of human societies by providing a medium for the instant and immediate transmission of
information (for self-preservation) as well as a medium for reflection and projection (for growth and
development). Language, then, by allowing man to communicate about the present, to reflect about the
past and to plan for the future, has ensured his survival and has allowed man to prosper far out of
proportion to man’s purely physical attributes.

The first function of language is reflective (thinking), the second is for giving vent to feelings
(expressive), the third is for conveying and receiving information (communicative) and the fourth is for
bonding others closer to the individual or for creating distance (social). These functions can be virtually
simultaneous and complementary or they can be separate.

1. Reflective Function - human beings can deliberately focus their attention on and analyse the past
in order to deal with the immediate future (i.e. the present) or the more distant future. This
deliberate thought is substantially verbal in nature, that is, like a stream of silent words passing
through the brain. This power of reflection distinguishes man from other animals and allows man
to use experience to avoid past errors and to be more effective and efficient. Language is
therefore used by man to focus on past events and to think out strategies for coping with and
controlling the physical world as well as the spiritual. The reflective function of language is
associated with the notion of “a voice inside your head” telling you to do or not to do something.

2. Expressive Function – in moments of pain, sorrow, happiness, human beings utter words, which
express their feelings. It is as if speech is a release valve for emotions. Language is inseparable
from the expression of emotions or feelings. The term expressive puts the focus on the speaker

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and not on his/her intention to communicate. In other words, the individual is using language in
such cases primarily as a form of self-expression. Expressive language does not belong to its
author and the author cannot dictate, or should not even seek to dictate, the response a hearer or
reader should have. Expressive language may have different levels and types of reaction, not
only from various individuals but also from the very author. For example to express annoyance a
speaker may vary between mild interjections or strong “dirty words.”

3. Communicative Function- the main function of language is for communicating information.

Meaning can be expressed only in context. Words and sentence can have meaning on their own
and without context. Words can have meaning opposite to their non – contextual meaning
depending on inflections of the voice, attitude of the speaker etc. People manipulate language
and it does not often match people’s feelings and intentions. In a text words most closely match
meaning. It can be divided to correspond to both function and form questions in statements. In
addition to statements, commands, and questions, language is used for oaths and curses. Oaths
and curses may be said in the form of statements, commands, and questions, but they are
different in that they convey attitudes not information, and they do not in themselves require
responses.

4. Ritual Function – is closely linked to religion and is considered normal in religious practices.
The main activities associated with the rituals are birth, marriage, and death. Some cultures
mark changes from puberty to manhood; others mark initiation for example: graduations, or
entrance into a group and the start of an office such as that of Prime Minister or bishop. Rituals
are normally a part of ceremonies which involve the repetition of a prescribed, usually written
form of language in what is called a liturgy. Repetition often leads to lost in meaning. The
function of language in ritual then is not necessarily to communicate or reflect but to include the
individual as a part of a social (i.e group) activity.

5. Other Social Function – a person may use a specific language or dialect to express solidarity with
someone or establish distance. Teenagers often coin words to establish bond. Some use specific
dialects to say something about themselves – politicians use vernacular. Accent is used to
establish identity – it establishes one as a native of a specific country or region of a country.
Some cultivate accents to suit their status or occupation. Groups such as lawyers and doctors
deliberately cultivate language that is not easily understood by the outsider.

Identifying Function
The identity of a people can be known through their language.
Purposes of Language
1. Persuading
2. Questioning
3. Directing
4. Providing Aesthetic Pleasure (e.g. singing)

Clarifying concepts
Language is the verbal form of human expression and a language is any distinct system of verbal
expression, distinguished from other such systems by its peculiarities of structure and vocabulary for
example, English, Spanish and Japanese. It is not only important that you know these definitions but
also that you use them carefully and appropriately as you express your ideas about language and
community. Do not use them interchangeably, they are not synonyms.

Language Community
The term language community is used in reference to all the speakers of a particular language. This
means that they do not have to reside within the same geographical location. English speakers, as you
are aware live in several parts of the world: so too do Spanish speakers some live in Spain, some in
Cuba and still others in Panama. Now, the Spanish/English in each of these locations vary in structure
and vocabulary, these variations are known as dialects.

Sources:
Osborne, S, Simon, V. Communication Studies for Cape Examinations

Lord, L etal Cape Communication Studies