BALINO, SHEDINA D.

BEED 2-C
1. What is language?
-Language is a system of communication used by us human being in expressing
ourselves or conveying a message. May it be through speech, gesture or in written
form.

2. What are the properties of human language? Give 1 example for each
property.
- Arbitrariness

We use arbitrary sounds, words, and symbols that have no relation to the objects they
refer to. For example, in different languages, the same combination of sounds or the
same word can mean different things that might lead to misunderstanding.

-Diplacement

Being able to refer to past and future time and to other locations. It allows users of
language to talk about things that’s not present in the immediate environment. For
example, humans are able to talk about someone not in the room, an event from the
past, or even made-up scenarios and the future.

-Discreteness

A language's sounds are visibly and purposely distinct, and their meanings are distinct
as well. For example, although there isn't much of a difference between I and "," when
we use these sounds in a language, we can't use I instead of "," because there will be a
difference in meaning. The same is true for pairs such as p, b, t, d, and so on.
Discreteness is the feature of language that occurs when each sound is treated as a
separate entity. The English word tin, for example, is made up of three units: t/i/n.

-Productivity

An element of language related to the notion that any human language has an endless
number of possible utterances. Humans, for example, utilize language resources to
generate new expressions and phrases.

-Duality

Sounds and meanings are distinct and separate from one another. The sounds of the
letters p, a, and l, for example, can be used to form the phrases pal and lap. Despite the
fact that both words are made up of the same letters and sounds, their meanings are
distinct.
-Cultural transmission

Language is not inherited genetically; it is learnt through culture and can only be learned
while immersed in (or studying) the culture of other language speakers. For example if a
Filipino couple adopted a child from Korea the child will tend to learn Filipino.

3. If first language acquisition was so straightforward and largely automatic,

why do you think , is learning a second language so difficult?

To learn new things or to learn second language to be exact is really a hard thing
because when a person was used to its first language. Especially when the person who
learns his/her second language was only exposed in a short moment of time.
 FELERA, KRISTINE F. BEED-2C

1. What is language?

Language is a vital part of human connection. Although all species have their ways
of communicating, humans are the only ones that have mastered cognitive language
communication. Language allows us to share our ideas, thoughts, and feelings with
others. It has the power to build societies, but also tear them down.

2. What are the properties of human language? Give 1 example for each property.

-Cultural transmission

Infants are born unable to communicate in their societies’ languages. Those children
learn the unique uses of their culture’s language by carefully observing and listening for
the first few years. This is why it is critical to talk to even the youngest children
frequently and to engage them in conversation as much as possible. The general
pattern in animal communication is that creatures are born with a set of specific signals
that are produced instinctively. There is some evidence from studies of birds as they
develop their songs that instinct has to combine with learning (or exposure) in order for
the right song to be produced.

-Arbitrariness

It means that human linguistic signs do not have any natural connection between
its form and meaning. The only exceptions are the onomatopoeic sounds. The signs
used by animals in communication are synonymous with meaning. For example the
English word “Bike” refer to a mechanical thing use for transportation. The word bike is
signifier (sound pattern) and the concept of bike a mechanical thing use for
transportation is signified. But in Urdu speech community someone call “Bike” with the
specific name ‘’shazadi’’ and in cause the concept in change even in Urdu speech
community like a person who says ‘’Shazadi’’ to his bike but the other understand a
‘’girl’’

-Displacement

It means that human language is capable of transcending time and space constraints.
Animal communication is intended to be used in the present moment. Human language,
on the other hand, can refer to events that are separated in time and space. for Ants
have been observed sending out scouts to patrol for food items, and coming back for
other workers if the food found is too large to bring to the nest by the finder alone; for
example, a dead caterpillar that is too heavy. This again would involve displacement by
communicating outside of the here and now.

-Productivity

This refers to the human ability to combine limited linguistic signs to produce new
sentences and expressions. Animals are incapable of this as animal signals have fixed
reference.

-Discreteness

This refers to the uniqueness of the sounds used in human languages. Every language
use a set of different sounds. Each of these sounds is different from the rest and are
combined to form new meanings. A sound can be repeated, or combined with another
to form a new meaning. For example the English word tin would consist of three units
t/i/n. Speech units can be ordered and reordered, combined and split apart

-Duality

Human language can be spoken as well as written. Even languages without an

alphabet can be written down using symbols. Only animal languages are spoke

The word pots is formed by the systematic combination of 4 speech sounds: the
consonant ‘p’, the vowel ‘o’ and the consonants ‘t’ and ‘s’. From the same sound units,
we are also able to form other meaningful words like : ‘spot’, ‘stop’ and ‘tops’.
 3. If first language acquisition was so straightforward and largely automatic,
why do you think , is learning a second language so difficult?

The culture of the learner might be an impediment to second or foreign language

learning. Cultural differences can lead to confusion and misconceptions. Because of
cultural differences, learners may have difficulty communicating with target native
speakers. Learning a second language entails learning to speak it as well as
comprehend it. It’s difficult since it tests both your thinking (your brain must develop new
cognitive frameworks) and your time (it requires sustained, consistent practice).

REFERENCE

http://haillinguistics.blogspot.com/2007/10/chapter-3-properties-of-language.html?m=1