Language: its Meaning, Definitions, Characteristics & Nature

Utkarsh Education

Language  

Introduction

Aristotle has called man a social animal. As such, he needs to communicate his feelings and thoughts. It is only through language that he can communicate with his fellow-beings. Thus, language is a unique possession of man. It shows his superiority over other animals. Language is the greatest gift with which man is endowed. One cannot think of human society without language. Even Bloomfield has remarked, "Each community is formed by the activity of language."

According to Gleason, "Language is one of the most important and characteristic forms of human behaviour." It is only through language that we are able to think, feel and express ourselves. Hence, language is the flesh and blood of our culture. 

Meaning and Definition of Language

The word 'language' has been derived from the Latin word 'lingua' which implies 'tongue.' French word 'langue' and 'parole' is also related to language. 'Langue' is a specific form of speech which  is conventional and belongs to a particular community. For example, in India we have languages like Punjabi, Bengali, Rajasthani etc. "Parole', also means speech but it denotes the 'individual' side of language i.e. how a person expresses his feelings, emotions and desires while living in a society. 

Educationists have given various definitions of language which are given below:

"Language is the expression of ideas by means of which speech sounds are combined into words, words are combined into sentences and combination of sentences gives answer to ideas and thoughts."   -Sweet

"Language is a set of arbitrary vocal symbols by means of which a social group communicates." -Bloch and Trager

"Language is the set of human habits, the purpose of which is to give expression to human thoughts and feelings especially to impart them to others." -Jesperson

"Language is a purely human and non-instinctive method of communication, ideas, emotions and desires by means of a system of voluntary produced symbols." -Edward Sapir

Characteristics of Language

1. Language is a means or vehicle ti communicate ideas, thoughts, feelings, experiences and emotions

2. Language is a verbal communication or verbal interaction of thoughts and ideas among the members of the society. 

3. Some signs, cries, language, smile and body gestures are also used for communicating something. It is known as non-verbal language o body language, or non-verbal interaction. The verbal interaction take place with the help of a verbal language.

4. Language is the God-given gift or boon for human being on other animals and species can use a language. Man alone uses language, for communication. 

5. Language is signally system which employs vocal sounds and is based on man's abilities and skill to speak.  

6. Language is speech which in turn means the production of meaningful sound according to a system. It is an introduction to the study of speech

7. Language is the system of systems which includes phonemes morphemes, semantics and syntax. 

8. Language is a powerful instrument or tool which has made human civilization and culture.

9. Language is a uniquely human trait, shared by the cultures so divers and by individuals physically and mentally so unlike one another. 

10. Language is purely human and non-instinctive method of conveying c communicating, ideas, feelings, emotions, and desires by means of system of voluntarily produced symbols or alphabets or words. 

11. Language is a social and cultural not a biologically inherited function The skills of a language are reading, writing, speaking and listening are acquired.

12. Language is a highly structured system, which permits an infinite range of permutation.

Nature of Language

The nature of language is based on certain linguistics principles which are given below :-

1. Language is a system.

2. The system of language is arbitrary. 

3. Language is a system of symbols. 

4. The symbols of language are vocal.

5. Language is learned.

6. Language is for communication.

7. Language is related to the culture in which it exists.  

8. Language is made up of habits.

9. Language is social behaviour. 

10. Language is unique.

11. language changes. 

1. Language is a system

Language is a system like that of the human body. The system of the body functions through various organs such as the heart, the lungs etc. The system of language functions through three constituents, eg, the sounds. the structures and the words. There cannot be any utterance without 

2. The system of language is arbitrary

There is no relationship between a particular symbol and the object denoted by it. For example, why do we call a particular object 'tree' or another object 'stone'? There is no relationship between the syrnol 'tree' and the object denoted by it. The same is true in the case of 'stone' or other items of vocabulary. It is a matter of convention. Once the convention is set, it is not for the individual to break it.

The same is true of question and answer forms. Why is it that "Is this a tree?" is a question, and "This is a tree," a statement. It is also a matter of convention. 

3. Language is a system of symbols

Symbols are representations of things rather than the things themselves. The word 'boy' is not a 'boy'. The stands for a 'boy'. Language functions best only when the symbols are known to the speaker and the listener, the writer and the reader.

4. The symbols of language are vocal

Language uses vocal symbols which are made up of speech sounds. These sounds are produced by human beings through various movements of the vocal organs.

5. Language is learned

Language is a learned activity. It does not come automatically, as walking does. The child is not born with the skill of speaking. He has to acquire it after he is born. If a child were to be isolated from society or brought up in the company of deaf people, he would their mother tongue. Since language is a learned activity, we have to teach it and theach it property 

6. Language is for communication

The chief purpose of language is communication. We use language to inform others, to ask them to do certain things or to express our feeling or emotions. For this purpose it is important that we acquire the rights of promociation which is intelligible to others. should, therefor pay attention to correct speech on the part of students.

7. Language is related to the culture in which it exists

A language is the product of a particular society and culture. It has meaning only in relation to that society and culture. The Eskimos, for example, have so many different wards in their language for 'snow. It is because "snow" plays an important part in their lives. But other speakers do not have that number of words for snow. In England to ask a person his salary is considered illmannered, but it is not so in India. The way of greeting, saying thanks etc. are different in different countries. It is because of cultural differences.

While learning a foreign language, a person does not only learn that langugae but he also gets acquainted with the culture of the people whose language he is learning. The culture aim of teaching a language cannot be ignored.

8. Language is made up of habits

According to Jesperson, "Language is a set of human habits, the purpose of which is to give expression to thoughts and feelings." The system of language is to be mastered at the habit level. When a person speaks his other tongue, he does not consider the position of the various speech organs while making the meaningful noises. Nor does he think of the ways in which he putting various words to form sentences. It is because speaking has become a matter of habit with him. No person can be said to have learnt a language unless he masters it at the habit level.

The implication of this principle is that the students should be provided intensive practice in the use of language. The teacher should provide opportunities to the students to use the language. 

9. Language is social behaviour

The features of language are not inherited in the biological sense, that is, heredity does not predispose a person to learn one language more easily than another. Language is social behaviour. A child picks up the language of his environment. If a child born in Tamil Nadu, is brought up in London, he will pick up English, but if he is taken away to Maseow, he will learn Russian.

10. Language is unique 

Each language is unique. No two language have the same sound, grammatical or lexical systems. All language differ in these respects. So fresh efforts have to be made to learn a language.

11. Language changes

Language is not static. A living language, like human beings changes. If we study the history of any language, we shall notice the numerous changes that have taken place in it over the years.

Changes take place in all aspects of language. This is more so in the case of vocabulary. Words come and go. They are born and die. Words are invented according to need. We have noticed that thousands of words have been added to Indian language after Independence. English too has borrowed words from various languages. Besides this, words change their meaning from time to time. The word sad once meant 'full to the brim', 'well fed'. Then it meant 'solid'. Later on, it was appled to a person who was reliable and firm. Then it got its present meaning.