Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Topic 1 - Group 1
Topic 1 - Group 1
Joshua M. Abendano
Angel Hope A. Agrida
BSCE – 1A (GROUP 1) Ms. Mayflor Asurquin
Course Facilitator
Nature of Language
While it is true that animals are able to communicate through the sound they
produce. Human beings communicate towards each other through what we
call Language.
What is language?
Linguists agree that a language can only be called language if it has a system
of rules (also known as grammar), sound system (phonology), and vocabulary
(lexicon).
They may raise a question, “want some food?” or give a statement like “I’d like
to share my food with you.”
When people use language, they can understand each other because of their
speech community, they share the same set of rules in the language system.
While growing up people acquire language as used by those in the
community, this is the process of language acquisition.
The languages acquired while growing up are known as mother tongue which
may also be referred as first languages.
People discovered later on that other languages are needed for various
reason. These other languages may be referred to as second language.
People learn these languages by studying formally in school or informally on
their own, this is the process of language learning.
However,
They spell english words differently
They pronounce words differently
It can be said that the Americans and the British belong to two speech
communities which do not have exactly the same set of rules for their
languages. This is why there are difference in their languages.
What happens if you, for example, who speaks a mother tongue and English,
go to work in China where the residents speaks Putonghua (Mandarin) and a
little bit of English? Will you be able to communicate with the Chinese?
Yes. Though it will be a challenge for you and your Chinese friends to try o
understand each other, eventually you will be able to communicate as you
slowly learn each other’s languages. What is happening here is called
Language Contact.
The result of such contact may be a new form of language. It is possible that
in your attempt to communicate with each other, you and your Chinese friend
will produce a new language form that is understandable to both of you
Your own languages may also change as you constantly interact and
communicate with each other. Thus, Language change is the result of
language contact.
Language is indeed a complex human capacity. It is, therefore, important to
be aware of its features and behavior to be able to use language more
effectively and productively in communicating with others.
Referential.
Poetic
This function aims to draw attention to textual elements where the message’s
essential shape is chosen.
Emotive is when the language is used to talk about or express your own
emotion. It is also called expressive or affective.
So when you’re surprised it’s like “Wow this is amazing. That is great.“
Conative
This is no longer about yourself, this is about the other person we need to
address. It is focused and concerned with influencing the behavior of, the
addressee, and thus concerned with persuasion.
So this function allows the speaker to influence the receiver in a certain way,
to request from him some type of action or behavior, or at least some type of
response.
So for example when Mabel is the addresser, then dipper is the addressee.
When Mabel is the sender, Dipper is the receiver.
Let’s say Mabel is addressing dipper, dipper becomes the receiver of the
message of the information .
Phatic
Metalinguistic
In other words, it allows the language to explain itself, that is find, finding
equivalents from one language to another, or clarify terms that the receiver
does not know, or even convert elements from one language to another.
For example when writing essays. The professor uses language to correct
your language or to describe, analyze and comment about your language.
NATURE OF LANGUAGE
1. LANGUAGE IS LEARNT
Language learning is an active process that begins at birth and continues
throughout life. Students learn language as they use it to communicate their
thoughts, feelings, and experiences, establish relationships with family
members and friends, and strive to make sense and order of their world.
Language by imitation and practice. Language is not possible without effort.
Language is one of the most important parts of any culture. It is the way by
which people communicate with one another, build relationships, and create a
sense of community. There are roughly 6,500 spoken languages in the world
today, and each is unique in a number of ways. It thus constitutes a vital
component of the cultural prerequisites underlying societal development.
Language is species specific. Only human beings have got the gift of
language. Of course, the other species do communicate but only human
beings can make use of language.
4. LANGUAGE IS A SYTEM
The phonology of a language forms its own system as the various sounds
function in a systematic way.
The language will function well if its symbols are known both to the speaker
and the person for whom they are being used.
Language functions effectively when the symbols used are known to the
speakers and the listener, the writer and the reader. The symbols of language
are varied and complex. Example,The railway guard uses certain symbols
with body language for example the green flag, The train is not supposed to
start till the driver sees the guard showing the green flag or the green lamp,
for they are symbols of “All clear, Go”. The train, however, stops or does not
start if the guard shows the red flag or the red lamp, for they denote the signal
“Danger, means stop’’. This system works successfully because the symbols
used are known to both the guard and the driver.
Different symbols are used in a single language. These symbols are vocal. A
language system does not exist in a vacuum. It is primary used in speech.
Only speech provides all essential signals of a language.
In language the sounds are produced through vocal organs. Reading and
writing are no doubt important. But speech is the basic form of language. A
language without speech is unthinkable.
Language is said to be the arbitrary vocal symbol. This implies that language
consists of speech sounds (e.g., sounds produced by using speech organs)
based on the social agreement or convention. A certain word has a meaning
because of the language users have given it. A spoken language is a
language produced by articulate sounds, as opposed to a written
language. An oral language or vocal language is a language produced with
the vocal tract, as opposed to a sign language, which is produced with the
hands and face.
Human beings express their ideas, thoughts, feelings and emotions through
language. In this way language is a means to connect past present and
future.
9. LANGUAGE IS UNIQUE
Each language is unique because it has its own style of functioning. The
sounds, vocabulary and structures of every language have their own
specialty.
It explains that the uniquely expressive power of human language requires
humans to create and use signals in a flexible way. They claim that his was
only made possible by the evolution of particular psychological abilities, and
thus explain why language is unique to humans. Language helps us express
our feelings and thoughts — this is unique to our species because it is a way
to express unique ideas and customs within different cultures and societies.
By learning a foreign language, you can understand ideas and thoughts that
may be different from your own culture.
REFERENCES
https://bed0910.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/q-1-discuss-the-nature-of-
language-and-explain-how-it-is-learnt-cite-illustrative-examples/?
fbclid=IwAR3heZ4LuWUdWb7AiT6OS-g5neBKxah-uWCf3otpksjBZvJ-
vg7_-9WyzQE
https://www.google.com/amp/s/englopedia.com/emotional-functions-of-
language-with-examples-in-detail/amp
https://prezi.com/j
https://www.scribd.com/document/55989074/Nature-of-Language