It is said that languages develop only in the society of human beings to serve this society as

meeting the demand of human beings.

I. INTRODUCTION
Language is such an intimate possession, something that one possesses in the same measure that
one is possessed by it. Language is bound up with the foundations of one’s being, with memories
and emotions, with the subtle structures of the worlds in which one lives (Alok Rai, Hindi
Nationalism). Languages are considered as a picture with various colors in which many of them
are standardized, increasingly popular, and used all over the world, such as English, French,
Chinese, or Russian. However, according to Gaston Dorren - Babel: Around the World in
Twenty Languages, in many areas, there is only a multitude of local varieties, and deciding
where one language ends and the next one begins is as hard as distinguishing individual colors in
a Turner painting. So there can be no definitive total. He also states that “6,000 is a common
estimate for the number of languages spoken and signed in today’s world – an average of one for
every 1.25 million people”.
II. Literature Review
Summary of the article
The article is about languages’ applications and how it meets human’s demands. In order to
implement this essay, the writer’s social observation and outlook as well as reliable sources are
used. There are three parts of this essay. Part 1 is related to general background of languages.
Part 2 includes human’s demands which are satisfied by development of languages. In this past,
what benefits languages provide will analyzed by examples and personal observation and
viewpoints. Part 3 will expand applications of languages which not only serves human’s demand
but contributes other values.
1. General background of languages
1.1. Definition of languages
It is difficult to accurately provide definitions of languages. “Language is the expression of ideas
by means of speech-sounds combined into words. Words are combined into sentences, this
combination answering to that of ideas into thoughts”, Henry Sweet, an English phonetician and
language scholar. Meanwhile, according to the American linguists, Bernard Bloch and George L.
Trager, “A language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols by means of which a social group
cooperates.”
More simply, according to Aristotle, “language is a speech sound produced by human beings to
express their ideas, emotions, thoughts, desires, and feelings”. In other words, the spoken
languages comprise of noises made by certain organs in the throat and mouth moving around,
which then facilitates human’s conversation as well as process of imparting information,
expressing feelings and emotion, showing positive or negative impacts on a speech, or revealing
friendliness, sadness, happiness, and angriness towards others who use the same systems of
languages.
 1.2. Communicative language
Languages play an indispensable part of human’s communication. As aforementioned definition,
languages are considered as the fastest way to provide people the chances to express ideas,
thoughts, or emotions. Moreover, languages are the most powerful weapon to communicate,
convey the message, develop and maintain all types of relationships, and create smooth social
contacts via oral and written forms.
1.3. Oral communication
Speaking which is considered as an extremely effective and efficient mode of communication in
is a way to use single words and word combinations to facilitate information acquisition through
people own voices and spoken words. This verbal form of communication can convey people’s
thoughts, present ideas, and share information via an emotional level that is connected with
listeners. To elaborate, the tone of someone’s voice can reveal behaviors and manners, both of
which can inspire and influence others through various ways, such as public speech, songs,
poems, and formal or informal conversations. Additionally, communications via spoken words
can help speakers avoid misunderstandings, especially when they have face-to-face contacts. If a
person undergoes confusion about what the other saying, he or she can ask for additional
elaboration to ensure mutual understandings among people in the conversations.
1.4. Written communication
In the age of modern information, written cannot be eclipsed. The majority of jobs always
require communication forms through written words, from texting messages, notes to formal
emails, letter, and conference and meeting documents. While speech can be ignored or
interpreted when speakers have to try to clarify and find appropriate words to ensure that they are
suitable for a certain context, avoid misunderstanding, provide higher levels of accuracy for what
they want to convey, written forms are usually stated very clearly because the writer have
sufficient amount of time for correction and selection. Legal matters are an example, which each
word and sentence is clearly shown with greater selections to ensure fairness of legality.
2. How languages development meet human beings’ demands.
2.1. Education
In this day and age, languages have a tight correlation to education. Because the emergence of
globalization leads to international interaction among any fields with no exception for education,
demands of acquiring second languages, especially widespread spoken ones, is increasing and
increasing. Learning second languages not only create homogeneity with host countries but also
sharpen skills for international students to access prestigious universities, up-to-date curriculums,
and further employment opportunities in the future. In modern educational systems, fluency of a
second language is deemed to be an advantage in the own host country. Vietnam is a glaring
example, where students are taught since primary levels. Additionally, English is deemed to be
one of prerequisites for accessing universities and graduation, or even high school students are
exempted for English in national examination, while other languages (Korean, Japanese…) are
approved as majors in further education levels, which enable students to have the chances to
work in global enterprises.
2.2. Global business.
In doing business, expanding business relations abroad is always a desire in the age of
globalization. Therefore, language acquisition provides much more benefits for those who want
to expand internationally and enhance their reputation. Knowing at least a foreign language,
especially popular ones will help business owners reduce the cost of translators, risks of
misunderstanding about terms and agreements of contracts.
2.3. Language Opens New Career Opportunities
In the age of globalization, many companies are willing to open their branches in overseas
countries, leading to increasing demand of workers who can use their own language and other
ones. Those who have pedagogy skills can teach popular languages, such as English, Japanese,
and Korean can have employment opportunities in other nations. Meanwhile, many manual
labors are asked to learn the host languages if they want to work overseas. In addition, many
international organizations are willing to create employment opportunities on the condition that
job applicants have enough language competency to join them.
2.4. Language varieties pave the way to explore cultures
It can be assumed that understanding many languages can offer great insight into national
backgrounds, customs, and behaviors. Slangs, for instance, a popularly local way of
communication in many countries, can help foreigners to understand whether they can be used in
a certain context to avoid unexpected tensions. Furthermore, traditional values are believed to
develop sustainably. Songs, poems, or fairy tales seem to be preserved and gained inherited
values among next generations and culturists. Therefore, multilingualism will be deemed to
foster the civilization of mankind.
3. The importance of languages in society
3.1. Social contacts
Communities, society, organization, any people from any social hierarchies, from affluent
countries to poor countries need at least a language to communicate. The needs of providing
information among human is enormous, so the emergence of different systems of languages
across the globe allows people to communicate and interact with one another, which facilitates
information acquisition. According to E. H. Sturtevant, “A language is a system of arbitrary
vocal symbols by which members of a social group cooperate and interact”.
3.2. Conveyance of ideas.
What would happen if human used the same tones during their everyday conversation?
Combination of words in a system of language are not important enough to perfect
communication. To elaborate, languages play a role in expression of human’s behaviors and
emotions through gestures, signs, symbols, and intonations. For example, parents cannot use soft
voices to ask their children to arrange their toys orderly, while a proposal cannot lack of a sweet
and warm voice to show sincere behavior. Another example is that a general in army with
confident voices will inspire his inferior officers and boost higher levels of confidence and
bravery.
3.3. Symbolizing origins and defining characteristics
Languages are a part of national core identity. Languages are not only used for communication
but play a role in symbolizing origins and defining characteristics. For example, some Chinese
characters are stylised pictures of objects or fairly intuitive visualisations of ideas. Ottoman
Turkish was very much an elite language, spoken and written by the cultural and political upper
crust of the multi-ethnic empire. Whenever you speak Javanese to somebody you’re not familiar
with, you have to use formal words: krama, or sometimes madya, and Krama is associated with a
complicated etiquette that dictates how to sit, stand, walk, point, hold your hands, direct your
eyes, greet people, laugh and dress
3.4. Enhancing social values
First, language varieties pave the way to explore cultures. It can be assumed that understanding
many languages can offer great insight into national backgrounds, customs, and behaviors.
Slangs, for instance, a popularly local way of communication in many countries, can help
foreigners to understand whether they can be used in a certain context to avoid unexpected
tensions. Furthermore, traditional values are believed to develop sustainably. Songs, poems, or
fairy tales seem to be preserved and gained inherited values among next generations and
culturists.
3.5. Eliminate barriers
Many students learning linguistics used to hear a story about one of the words translation
mistake in history: “Mokusatsu”. In July 1945, the allied countries meeting in Postdam asked
Japanese to unconditional surrender. Then, the Japanese Prime Minister, Kantaro Suzuki, stated
he “refrained from comments at the moment”. He used “Mokusatsu” as a word that play a key
role in expressing his thoughts. This word from the Japanese term means “silence”. The word
interpreted by media agencies and translators meant “treat with silent contempt” or “to ignore”
instead of “withholding comments for now”. After that, one of the most disastrous events in
history of mankind happened when the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
This translation error killed more than 70,000 people, and left more than 100,000 people who
suffered from the result of destruction and radiation.
However, burgeoning and the emergence of languages, especially popular ones, facilitates not
only communication but also avoid unexpected conflicts in terms of customs and habits that are
derived from language misunderstandings. English, for instance, is irrefutably used by hundreds
of millions of speakers at any corners of the world, making language barriers no longer a big
hindrance. Another example is that globe trotters (travel lovers) can have a sense of safety
because many of them are bilingualism, which aid them overcome the fear of communication
with local citizens, cultural shocks, and inconvenience from language barriers.
 3.6. A bridge to harmony and understanding among countries
In the past, language acquisition was deemed to be a luxurious affair, and not many people
across the globe could not speak other languages, exception for their mother tongue, which led to
communicative, acquisitive, and interactive problems. However, association with globalization
and cultural trade, learning second languages is gaining its popularity because people gradually
understand its benefits to themselves and society. To be more explicit, effective communications
require mutual understanding about the importance of accuracy, consistency, and transparency of
used words. Sharing the same languages in various programs, such as medicine, technology, and
science, for example, can accelerate the process of knowledge acquisition among people rather
than information misunderstandings. Taking global companies is another example. When foreign
managers sent emails to report important affairs, employers had to use communicative channels
to translate them into their host countries. As a result, it seems that they miss out important
information and details on account of a lack of disparities among demographics and cultures
regarding languages.
III. Ideas
Everyone knows at least one language for daily communication which is established in the forms
of spoken, or written to express thoughts and behaviors. Using languages is also the way to build
relationship and create sense of community. However, in modern society, languages are not an
important way to connect people in community or symbolize a culture but become a field of
science that many linguists try to research how they work, or how they affect human’s life and
society. Furthermore, many linguists discover small units of a language, including the sound
system via phonology, the structure of words via morphology, or the combination of words into
sentences via syntax. All movements create a colorful picture of any particular languages, which
urges human to gain insight into them to create a universe where languages are not only a tool
for communication.
IV. Conclusion
To summarize, it is apparent that languages make significant contributions for the developments
of many fields, from education to culture diversity, and even business. However, languages
either satisfy human demand for a sustainable development of society or provide enormous
values that contribute to the global reservoir of profound insight and abundance for life.
 References
Gatson Dorren (2020). Babel – Around The World In Twenty Languages.
Ghefira Dhania Sarasvitha Azzahra (2021). The Contribution of English Language in Daily
Life.
Sitti Rabiah (2012). Language As A Tool For Communication and Cultural Reality
Discloser.
David Crystal. The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Language. Cambridge University Press.
Harvey A. Daniels (2020). Nine Ideas About Languages.