LANGUAGE CHARACTERIZATION

Supporting lecturer : Dr. Sholihatul Hamidah Daulay, S.Ag., M.Hum

By : Group 1 TBI 3

TARA ARINI 0304213056

YULIA HIDAYAT 0304213087

SABILA KAMALIA 0304213048

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TARBIYYAH AND TEACHER TRAINING

SORTH SUMATERA ISLAMIC STATE UNIVERSITY

2021
 FOREWORD

First of all, thanks to Allah SWT because of the help of Allah, writer finished writing the
paper entitled “LANGUAGE CHARACTERIZATION” right in the calculated time.

The purpose in writing this paper is to fulfill the assignment that given by Mrs. Dr.
Sholihatul Hamidah Daulay, S.Ag,. M.Hum, as lecturer in Introduction to Linguistics major. 

In arranging this paper, the writer truly get lots challenges and obstructions but with help
of many individuals, those obstructions could passed. writer also realized there are still many
mistakes in process of writing this paper. Because of that, the writer says thank you to all
individuals who helps in the process of writing this paper.

Hopefully Allah replies all helps and bless you all. The writer realized the this paper still
imperfect in arrangement and the content.  then the writer hope the criticism from the readers can
help the writer in perfecting the next paper. Last but not the least Hopefully, this paper can helps
the readers to gain more knowledge about Linguistics.

16 September 2022

Presenter
 TABLE OF CONTENT

FOREWORD...................................................................................................................................ii

TABLE OF CONTENT.................................................................................................................iii

CHAPTER I.....................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1

a. Background...........................................................................................................................1

b. Formulation Of The Problem................................................................................................2

c. Goal Discussion....................................................................................................................2

CHAPTER II...................................................................................................................................3

DISCUSSION..................................................................................................................................3

a. Definition of Language.........................................................................................................3

b. Characterization of language................................................................................................3

CHAPTER.......................................................................................................................................9

a. Conclusion............................................................................................................................9

b. Suggestion.............................................................................................................................9

References......................................................................................................................................10
 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

a. Background

Language, a system of conventional spoken, manual (signed), or written symbols by

means of which human beings, as members of a social group and participants in its culture,
express themselves. The functions of language include communication, the expression
of identity, play, imaginative expression, and emotional release.

Many definitions of language have been proposed. Henry Sweet, an English phonetician

and language scholar, stated: “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.” The American linguists Bernard Bloch and George L. Trager formulated
the following definition: “A language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols by means of which a
social group cooperates.” Any succinct definition of language makes a number of
presuppositions and begs a number of questions. The first, for example, puts excessive weight on
“thought,” and the second uses “arbitrary” in a specialized, though legitimate, way.

A number of considerations (marked in italics below) enter into a proper understanding of

language as a subject:

Every physiologically and mentally typical person acquires in childhood the ability to make use,
as both sender and receiver, of a system of communication that comprises a circumscribed set of
symbols (e.g., sounds, gestures, or written or typed characters). 

In spoken language, this symbol set consists of noises resulting from movements of certain

organs within the throat and mouth. In signed languages, these symbols may be hand or body
movements, gestures, or facial expressions. By means of these symbols, people are able to impart
information, to express feelings and emotions, to influence the activities of others, and to
comport themselves with varying degrees of friendliness or hostility toward persons who make
use of substantially the same set of symbols.
 Language interacts with every aspect of human life in society, and it can be understood only
if it is considered in relation to society. This article attempts to survey language in this light and
to consider its various functions and the purposes it can and has been made to serve. Because
each language is both a working system of communication in the period and in
the community wherein it is used and also the product of its history and the source of its future
development, any account of language must consider it from both these points of view.

The science of language is known as linguistics. It includes what are generally distinguished

as descriptive linguistics and historical linguistics. Linguistics is now a highly technical subject;
it embraces, both descriptively and historically,  such major divisions
as phonetics, grammar (including syntax and morphology), semantics, and pragmatics, dealing in
detail with these various aspects of language.

b. Formulation Of The Problem

1. What is language ?
2. What are the language characterizations?

c. Goal Discussion

1. So that readers know what language is.

2. So that readers know what are the characterizations of language.

CHAPTER II
DISCUSSION
 a. Definition of Language

Language is basically a human method of communicating ideas, opinions, emotions, and

desires through a system of voluntarily produced symbols. These voluntarily produced symbols
are the sounds we make with the help of language. With language we can express feelings
through sounds to communicate the contents of our through to others.1

Communication through language can be referred to as linguistics communication, the

other ways mentioned above laughing, smiling, screaming, and on, is a type of non linguistic
communication. Most or all non human species can exchange information, but none of them is
know to have a communication system of high complexity comparable to language. Primarily,
the communicate in a non linguistic way such as smiling, laughting, shouting, clenching fists,
and raising eyebrows.2 Chimpanzees, gprillas and orangutans can exchange different information
by emiting various kinds of screams, composing their faces in various ways, and move their
hands or arms with different movements, but they have no words and sentence. By moving in a
certain pattern, language as defined above belongs exclusively to humans. Between
characteristics that make a relatively clear distinction between linguistic and nonlinguistic
communication.3

From all the definition above, it can be concluded that, language means the most
powerful, convenient and durable means and forms of communication.

b. Characterization of language

Characterization of language consists of :

1. Language is a sounds
That is, in the delivering language there are two kinds of delivery methods namely
oral and written. Of course, these two ways are very different and what is meant by

1
Language Definition Characteristics & Importance in Communication,Sa Study Lecturer Note

2
M. P. Harper, M. Maxwell,Spoken Language Characterization,hal 800-801

3
Dafydd Giddon, Rooger Moore, Richard Winski, Spoken Language Characterization,(WeDG &CO,1997),hal. 41-
42
 language as sound here is speaking, or it can also be called spoken language.
Speaking is the main thing because speaking consist of intonation, tone, emphasis,
and pause. Which are not contained in writing. So that the delivery can be clearer,
because in speaking there is intonation, tone, and pressure that “turns on” the
delivery. So it can be concluded that language is the sound of the pronunciation of
language. Pronunciation is an important aspect which is actually the main
characterization of a language.4
Every natural language uses only a small part of it’s great phonetic potential.
Thus, Language usually consist of only few dozen sound units, which are then used to
construct words and speech.

2. Language is a system of contrast

Means that everyone has a different language style but has the same meaning. For
example, when I was in the second grade of junior high school, Mr. Bejo taught
mathematics lessons. But when he went up to grade 3, the math teacher changed Mr.
Paijo. Well, one day Mr. Paijo explained the exact same material as what Mr. Bejo
had taught before. The material is the same, the chapter is the same, the book is the
same. But then we said this, “Why is it easier for Mr. Bejo to teach him? I’m even
confused if you are illuminated by Mr. Paijo.” As we know that language has its own
pattern. But do you all know that even though the sentence patterns of a language are
the same, everyone has their own way of composing and conveying their message to
others. Just like Mr. Bejo and Mr. Paijo earlier.5

3. Language is systematic
Language has its own system or pattern. Of course, the grammatical patterns
differ from one another. Because every language has its own structure and patterns.
Then the language that is made must follow the rules or patterns of the language, in
order to create a grammatical pattern of language that is in accordance with the
grammar.
4
Suziana Abdullah,A Language Is A Systematic Means of Communication by The Use of Sounds or Conventional
Symbols,(November 01, 2011), hal. 1-3.

5
Henry Rogers, The Sounds of Language,(Roudledge Taylor and Francis Group,2013), hal. 96
 Although the language is symbolic, its symbols are arranged in specific systems.
All languages have their arrangement of plans, and each language is an arrangement
of systems. Furthermore, all languages have phonological and syntactic systems, and
within a system, there are also several sub-systems. For instance, we have the
morphological and syntactic systems inside the linguistic system. Inside these two
sub-systems, we have systems, such as plural, of mindset, or perspective, of tense,
etc.

Written language uses symbols systematically to construct words. The whole set
of words is the vocabulary of the language. The ways in which words can be
meaningfully combined are determined by syntax and grammar.

4. Language is meaningful
That the language spoken by the speaker has a meaning and meaning in it.
Language exists and eventually develops because the real purpose of language
enables humans to communicate with one another and build oral communication.
Why is that so? Because every word has a meaning can reveal the intent and purpose
of the narrator.

5. Language is creative
Language is a reflection of the people using it. Compare old English to modern
English, the language has changed to accommodate the communicative need and
preferences of the ones using it. Each region has a different culture and a different
history. Naturally, each region wil have different communication needs and
expression preferences. This is why even when the same language is spoken, there are
differences between regions.

Language has its efficiency and innovativeness. The auxiliary components of

human language are joined to create new expressions that neither the speaker nor
their listeners may have made or heard previously. Honestly, the two sides
 comprehend without trouble. Language can be changed as indicated by the necessities
of human society. After all, language has the power of productivity and creativity.

6. Language is a system of system

Language is a system and a complex as organs of the human body. The system of
the body functions through different organs such as heart, lungs, brain, esrs, and eyes.
These various organs are interconnected and work in coordination. Similarly, the
systems of a language function through saund, word and structure. These are
intergrated with one another and constitute the complex organic whole which is
language.6

7. Languages are unique

Whatis meant by languages are unique is that in one word it has a different
meaning and how it is pronounced in two languages, for example, like the word “air”,
air in Indonesian means clear liquid while air in English means wind. Ad the
difference in pronunciation if in English air is read with (er) while in Indonesian air is
read with (air), that is what is meant ny unique in the language aspect.

Language is indeed a unique phenomenon in the world. Every language has its
characteristics and distinctive features. Furthermore, each language has its creativity
and productivity to deliver the best ways to communicate. And this is how language
has the potentiality to be unique, complex, and modifiable by the change of time and
culture.

8. Languages are similar

The reason some languages are so similar is that because they are par og the same
language family, language families are actually only formed from languages that
share a common ancestor.

6
Abdullah Sam, Why Language Is A System of Systems, (Notes Read,2015)
 Related languages are also usually geographically close, although tis is not always
the case. Because of their common origins, languages in the same family aften have
something called exical similarity”. Laxical similarity is a measure of how much
vocabulary two languages have.
It can also lead to “mutuak clarity”, which occurs ehen a speaker of one language
can understand a speaker of another language with minimal effort. Many similar
languages have some degree of mutual intelligibility, which can help significantly in
learning grammar and overcoming obstacles.
9. Language is arbitrary
This point is still related to the meaning of a word. Arbitrary is arbitrary meaning
that if it is arbitrary related to language, then each word is relative. One word can be
the same, but has a different meaning when used in a particular sentence. for
examples the word bear, in English bear have a many meanings depending on the use
of the sentence in the context of a sentence. 7

Language is undoubtedly arbitrary as there is no inherent connection between the

nature of things or concepts the speech deals with. However, those things and ideas
are expressed, and there is no reason why different communities pronounce a ‘single
term’ differently. Word was chosen to mean a specific thing or idea is arbitrary. It
might be noticed that if a language had not been arbitrary, there would have been just
a single language that remained throughout the world. That is why we can consider
language as an arbitrary vocal symbol.

Example bear in sentence like this :

1. I saw a big bear in the zoo.
 So the word bear here means bear (Animals)
2. Tell me know, I can’t bear the suspension
 So the word bear here means to hols
3. Most animal bears their young in the spiring.
 So bear here has the meaning of giving birth.

7
Catatan Kecil Kami, The Characteristic Of Language,(May 22,2016)
 From example above, we can see that the word bear has many meanings
depending on the context of the sentence.

10. Language is conventional

The british have no reason why the call an animal that produces “Meow” a cat.
Again, this is because language is arbitrary. No reason is used when choosing a
symbol and there is no direct relationship between the symbol and the symbolized.
Now that a group of a people have voted for something, all group members must
agree and use the same symbol to refer to the something, In the example above,
Javanese people approve of use of the “Kethek” symbol to refer animal and the
betawi people agree on the compliment. Again, the symbol must be the result of the
agreement of all members of society (language). That why language is called
conventional.
When a group of people create a new symbol and all members agree, then they
will create a new language, or at least they will add a new word for their language.
Remember, language is a system consisting of many elementys the support each
other. Well, one the language without society.
In spoken language and written language there are striking differences, spoken
language tends to be more flexible and is often used in everyday conversation
although sometimes it is a less grammatical, this sentence is often used to using the
sentence and it seems that is has become and entrenched habit.
Example like this :
 Written = I’m going to home
 Oral = I’m going home

CHAPTER III
CLOSING
a. Conclusion

After the above discussion, we conclude that these language characteristics are part and
parcel of building the authenticity of any language.
In general, approaches used by people and machines differ, perhaps sufficiently to
suggest building a partnership between human and machine. We finish with a discussion
of the conditions under which textual materials could be used to augment our ability to
characterize a spoken language.

b. Suggestion

Let’s further development of language and how the character of the language.

References
WEB :
https://sebuahcatatankecilkami.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-characteristics-of-
language.html?m=1
https://www.quora.com/Why-is-language-creative-and-unique?top_ans=66425811
Language Definition Characteristics & Importance in Communication | Study Lecture Notes

JURNAL:
Language and characterization In homer (Adam Parry), Harvard studies in classical
philogy 76, 1-22, 1972.
Language Definition Characteristics & Importance in Communication,Sa Study Lecturer
Note
M. P. Harper, M. Maxwell,Spoken Language Characterization,hal 800-801
Dafydd Giddon, Rooger Moore, Richard Winski, Spoken Language Characterization,
(WeDG &CO,1997),hal. 41-42
Suziana Abdullah,A Language Is A Systematic Means of Communication by The Use of
Sounds or Conventional Symbols,(November 01, 2011), hal. 1-3
Henry Rogers, The Sounds of Language,(Roudledge Taylor and Francis Group,2013),
hal. 96
Catatan Kecil Kami, The Characteristic Of Language,(May 22,2016)
Abdullah Sam, Why Language Is A System of Systems, (Notes Read,2015)

BOOK :
Spoken language characterization (Why Language Is A System of Systems (notesread.com)