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Language is the human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, and a language is any specific example of such a system. The scientific study of language is called linguistics. Estimates of the number of languages in the world vary between 6,000 and 7,000. However, any precise estimate depends on a partly arbitrary distinction between languages and dialects. Natural languages are spoken or signed, but any language can be encoded into secondary media using auditory, visual, or tactile stimuli, for example, in graphic writing, braille, or whistling. This is because human language is modality-independent. When used as a general concept, "language" may refer to the cognitive ability to learn and use systems of complex communication, or to describe the set of rules that makes up these systems, or the set of utterances that can be produced from those rules. All languages rely on the process of semiosis to relate signs with particular meanings. Oral and sign languages contain a phonological system that governs how symbols are used to form sequences known as words or morphemes, and a syntactic system that governs how words and morphemes are combined to form phrases and utterances.
What is language?
Linguistics February 6th 2016 Licda. Milvia Rosales
Dictionary definition • It is a system for the expression of thoughts, feelings etc. by the use of spoken sounds or conventional symbols. • The faculty for the use of such systems, a distinguishing characteristic of humans as compared with other animals.
• The language of a particular nation or people.
• Language is the human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, and a language is any specific example of such a system. • The English word "language" derives ultimately from Indo-European *dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s "tongue, speech, language" through Latin lingua, "language; tongue", and Old French langage "language"
• Language is a unique and organic communication system. It is unique because it is only humans who possess it. • It is organic because it grows and changes all the time, just like a plant or any organism. • It is unique because of its close relationship with the human mind, the brain and society.
Five functions of language • Social interaction: It is a way of easing relationships with others; to help build bridges between people. For example use of slang amongst members of a particular social group. • Expression of identity • Emotional expression: To explore how we feel about ourselves and the world. • Recording of facts: Information stored for future use; to organize facts and data; to teach and learn. • Naming the world.
What is lingua franca? • A language used for communication among people of different mother tongues: English is the lingua franca for many business people in many countries. • The use of lingua francas may be almost as old as language itself. Certainly they have existed since antiquity. • Latin and Greek were the lingua francas of the Roman empire; and then Aramaic, remained the common languages of a large part of Western Asia through several earlier empires. The most obvious example today is English.
Difference between human and animal language • Human language is unique in comparison to other forms of communication, such as those used by non-human animals. Communication systems used by other animals such as bees or non-human apes are closed systems that consist of a closed number of possible things that can be expressed. • In contrast, human language is open-ended and productive, meaning that it allows humans to produce an infinite set of utterances from a finite set of elements and to create new words and sentences.
Similarities of Human and Animal Language
• They can be find in the definition of the word communication. • Communication includes the use of both signals and symbols. (signals are noises or gestures that have a clear meaning).
• For example: Animal and baby cries or laughing are a good example of signals in both humans and animals.
• com·mu·ni·ca·tion noun \kə-ˌmyü-nəˈkā-shən\: the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else merriam-webster dictionary.
How can communication be possible?
• This is possible because human language is based on a dual code, where a finite number of meaningless elements (e.g. sounds, letters or gestures) can be combined to form units of meaning (words and sentences).
Comunication
FEATURES
ANIMAL
HUMAN
Uses signals
Uses symbols
X
Has duality of pattern
X
Different types of languages: • Isolating Chinese.
languages
(analytical/root
languages)
• Agglutinating languages, examples: Uralic languages, Turkish, Japanese, Swahili, Etruscan. • Inflecting languages: (Semitic) languages
Indo-European, Latin, Arabic
• Polysynthetic or incorporating languages: languages and Australian languages
Indian
• Analytic languages: the development of the Latin language as inflecting to its daughter languages.
Features of communication • Channel: the messages are primarily transmitted via the vocal-auditory channel. • Linearity: the message is extended temporally (speech) and locally as a string (writing) and is produced and analyzed as a sequence. • Redundancy: the same information may be given several times.
Body language • Body language is a form of mental and physical ability of human non-verbal communication, consisting of body posture, gestures, facial expressions, and eye movements. Humans send and interpret such signals almost entirely subconsciously. • It may provide clues as to the attitude or state of mind of a person. For example, it may indicate aggression, attentiveness, boredom, relaxed state, pleasure, amusement, and intoxication.
Parts of the body used
• Eyes • Hands • Legs and Feet
Eyes • Looking right: Indicates the person is creating, fabricating, lying. • Looking left: the person is recalling facts, remembering. • Direct eye contact: this can be an indication of honesty. • Widening eyes: This indicates appeal, interest and invitation. Interest in someone or something you look at. • Rubbing eyes: Can be associated with disbelief about something. Or a person may be tired or bored. • Pupils dilated: when someone sees something that is appealing to them or attractive. • Blinking: frequent blinking it is a sign of excitement or pressure.
Arms • Arms can indicate many things to a person, when they are across the body it can be a defensive barrier and when they are by your side it can mean you feel open and secure. • Crossed arms: Usually associated with protective barrier. This could be boredom or feeling threatened.
• Gripping own upper arms: This can be seen as insecurity in some males and females. It is a way of self hugging, and attempt to reassure one self. • Arms held behind body with hands clasped: This is a signal of authority or confidence.
Legs and feet • Uncrossed legs, sitting-general: When legs are uncrossed that generally means they have an open attitude no matter if it is male or female. • Parallel legs: Legs together generally mean properness when it is concerning a female, this is a very unusual stance in males. • Shoe-play: Usually seen in females, this can mean relaxation or flirting.
What is linguistics? • The scientific study of language is called linguistics. • It is also the study of the way language is used in everyday life, the way it is employed.
Branches of Linguistics • • • • • • • •
Phonetics Phonology Morphology Syntax Semantics Pragmatics Sociolinguistics Psycholinguistics.
Curious Facts about the language • The most spoken language in the word is the Chinese (Mandarin) language it has 1,075,000,000 speaker. English is second with 514,000,000. • How are the world's languages organized? They can be organized alphabetically, genetically, and geographically. • How many languages exists? At the present time, there are about five thousand languages and dialects spoken in the world. 850 are practiced in India.
• What are the top language to speak in the business world? Mandarin, English, Japanese, German and Spanish.
• What are the 3 top dead languages? Latin, ancient Greek,+ Sanskrit, are studied by large numbers of people because of their literary or historical importance.
• How many countries have Spanish as the official language? 21 countries where Spanish is an official language, with the biggest being Mexico
Answer the following questions: 1-
Is the human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, and any specific example of such a system?
Possible answers: Phonetics
Linguistics
Language
• Lingua Franca is a language used for communication among people of different mother tongues.
TRUE
FALSE
• Name the five functions of language :
1- Social interaction
2- Expression of identity 3- Emotional expression 4- Recording of facts 5- Naming the world
What are the differences between human and animal languages?
• Humans use symbols to communicate
• Human language has duality of pattern
• Animals uses symbols to communicate • Animals use sygnals to communicate
• Humans have a limited number of utterances
E-graphy • http://www.u5d.net/Linguistics/8-types-of-languages.html. • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language • http://www.tuchemnitz.de/phil/english/chairs/linguist/independent/kursm aterialien/introling/introling-complete.pdf • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_language • http://www.chacha.com/question/how-many-countrieshave-spanish-as-the-official-language%3F-how-manycountries-have-spanish-as-the-official-language • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_language • http://www.wikihow.com/Read-Body-Language