LESSON 1:
Nature of Language
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. demonstrate an understanding of the key
ideas in language and communication; and
2. relate personal experience with the input
presented.
What is Language?
“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.” – David Crystal, Writer
and Editor, Honorary Professor of Linguistics, Bangor
University
What is Language?
A systematic means of communicating ideas or feelings by
the use of conventionalized signs, sounds, gestures, or
marks having understood meanings. – Merriam Webster
Dictionar
What is Language?
“Language refers to the grammar and other rules and
norms that allow humans to make utterances and sounds
in a way that others can understand.” – John McWhorter,
Linguist and Associate Professor of English and
Comparative Literature at Columbia University
Based on the following definitions of language,
the most common thing among them all is that a
language is a wonderful and dynamic human
capacity that enables us to communicate
ourselves to others by the use of a system of
rules.
This system of rules is the very reason that a
language can be called a language which
linguists also agree on.
Since a language is composed of a system of
rules, it is also said that only human beings
are truly capable of producing a language.
Animals may produce sounds of their own and
communicate with other animals, however, the
sound they produce often reflect their state of
emotions.
Also, these sounds are not organized into a
meaningful system with rules unlike humans
which can communicate their desires such as
sharing of foods through many different ways
such as uttering the word, raise a question, give a
statement, or using a hand gesture by extending
the arm with food to others.
Language System of Rules
Language System of Rules
1. Phonology – refers to the sound system of a
language which includes the sounds used in a
certain language and how these sound can be
combined to produce a word. It can also be
broken down into smaller units known as
phonemes.
Language System of Rules
1. Phonology – refers to the sound system of a
language which includes the sounds used in a
certain language and how these sound can be
combined to produce a word. It can also be
broken down into smaller units known as
phonemes.
Phoneme – basic unit of sound. Example: the sound /l/ in love
Language System of Rules
2. Morphology – the system of how words are
formed. Words combined are also determined by
individual languages.
Language System of Rules
2. Morphology – the system of how words are
formed. Words combined are also determined by
individual languages.
Morpheme – smallest meaningful unit in a language.
Example: affixes (anti, dis, re, in, etc.)
Language System of Rules
3. Syntax – refers to the word order, word
placement, and word combination that create
meaning. Also refers to the creation of a
grammatically correct sentence.
Language System of Rules
4. Semantics – refers to the study of meaning that
is used to understand human expression through
language.
5. Pragmatics – studies the way in which
context (condition or location) contributes to
meaning.
Example: use of polite words when talking to teacher.
Furthermore, when people use language and they
can understand each other, they are said to
belong in the same speech community. This is so
because they share the same set of rules in the
language system.
Since people share the same set of rules in a
speech community, they can eventually acquire
the language while growing up. This refers to the
process of language acquisition.
Language acquisition is the process where
people acquire their first language commonly
called native language or mother tongue. It is a
process where humans acquire the capacity to
see and understand language and the ability to
produce words to communicate with other people
in their speech community.
Language learning refers to the ability to
communicate in the second/foreign language
Language learning refers to the ability to
communicate in the second/foreign language
Language Contact refers to the contact between
people having or speaking different languages
either written or spoken.
Language learning refers to the ability to
communicate in the second/foreign language
Language Contact refers to the contact between
people having or speaking different languages
either written or spoken.
Language Change is the phenomenon by which
permanent alterations are made in the features of
language over time.
Indeed, language is a complex human capacity
wherein people should be aware of its features in
order to communicate more effectively with
others.
Learning Assessment
A. SHORT ESSAY
Answer the following questions on ½ crosswise.
1) What distinguishes human language from how animals
communicate?
2) What is the difference between language acquisition and
language change?
3) What happens after a language comes into contact with
another language?
TAKE HOME ACTIVITY:
LANGUAGE BIOGRAPHY
Answer the Language Biodata Form by reflecting on the
inputs presented relating it to your personal experiences
on how you have acquired and learned your own languages.
To be sent via messenger gc.
1 Legal sized bond paper.
Deadline is on 6/30/2025.
THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING.
