EMERGING TRENDS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE

Literature, Language, Society, Ethics & Human conscience

R.Ragalatha
Asst.Professor of English, Sri Indu College of Engg. & Technology, Hyderabad.

Abstract:
Literatures, Language, Society, Ethics & Human conscience are inter related things.
Literature gives importance to the real situation in life; it tends to concentrate more on the
imaginative and the ideal situations. Literature traditionally associated with a moral purpose,
aims at the ideal and is therefore, accompanied with refinements not only of thought but of
languages as well. Literature has a social function. The writer is influenced by society as
much as he sometimes influences it. Art mirrors life and it may even shape it. One of the
earliest uses to which literature has been put, it is argued it, is to present a picture of society at
a given time. Even in its most concealed form, literature brings out the outlines of social
history of a given period. Literature thus exists independently with an aim on its own and can
stand on its own. As human beings, we all use language. And we do it very efficiently and
quite effortlessly. A piece of language consists of sentences that consist of words that consist
of sounds. Language too is a social event, a communicative event. All social events are
governed by certain specific rules and conventions.
Keywords:
Literature, Language, efficient, effortlessly, conventions, communicative event

Introduction

All of us use language to communicate with one another. Each language has its own patterns
of communication Language is not only communicative; it is expressive and performative too
Interaction and communication are prominent aspects of human social life. There are crucial
differences between animal communication and human beings communication. The most
important difference stems from the property of mind and individual consciousness of human
beings, which is absent in all other forms of life. We are all individuals with consciousness
and a sense of the self and we relate to others whom we recognize as also having a sense of
the self Human communication is effectively between ' minds '. Our minds contain thoughts,
memories, hopes, feelings, intentions, speculations, and the like. Human communication
involves these elements of ' minds ‘, and the aspects such as meaning and understanding are
central to the process. Thus the range of ' topics ' covered in human communication is vast
and virtually unlimited.

An important characteristic of human beings is that, we do not inherit predetermined patterns

of behaviour, but are born with the potential for learning whatever the environment allows
and fosters. There is a great deal of flexibility or plasticity in this potential, which means that
virtually anything can be learnt-provided of course the necessary inputs are provided. There
is a second characteristic of our species that is relevant here. This is the relatively long period
of infancy and childhood of the human species. Newly born animals mature quite rapidly and
become ' independent adults ' that survive on their own. The period during which they are
cared for (typically by a mother) is relatively short. This is because they are born with
appropriate (species specific) instinctive behavior patterns already programmed into them.
These behavior patterns needed for survival in their natural habitats will emerge as the body
grows. Animals do not have to be taught anything. In sharp contrast with this, the young of
the human species have a long period of childhood and this is a condition marked by virtual
helplessness...especially in the early months. The child has to learn what to do as part of the
daily routine. The most obvious areas of learning are the physical (holding a spoon or toy,
walking, throwing and catching a ball and so on), the closely linked area of language and
cognition.

There is also an another broad domain which covers emotional and social development. The
area of language and cognition or thinking is probably the most interesting for ordinary
people and for researchers. As we know, the baby's signs of recognizing the meanings of
words and phrases and later production (saying) of words are among the most exciting signs
of normal development for members of the family. A significant but not very obvious aspect
of emotional and social development is that this too is an area of learning. As the days and
months pass, the child gradually learns the way of life of the community - the language
primarily, and typical or normal ways of doing things. This process of learning to be a
member of a given society is called ' socialization '.The process of socialization is not only a
matter of providing the opportunity to learn these various things. It also means sharing certain
attitudes and values and behaving in certain ' proper ' ways. Observing others and imitating
them is the main way of learning conventions. Some of these are: some people in the family
and in the community are more important and powerful than others; certain people do certain
things which others are not supposed to do; talking loudly and laughing are not allowed in
certain places and certain occasions; wearing clean/nice clothes is expected on certain
occasions; certain objects, events, generally make people happy; certain actions win approval
and admiration, while other actions are treated with disapproval or strong rejection and
punishment.

Most of the learning that occurs during socialization is framed and controlled by the
conventions of the particular community in which the child is brought up. There is a great
variation in the specific elements of the cultures of different societies. These conventions are
influenced, firstly, by geography. Secondly, there is a set of myths and beliefs, values,
traditions relating to diet, clothing, arts and crafts....that give a community a distinctive
character.

Language is a means of communication. People use language along with other sign systems
to convey meaning...express feelings, ideas and so on. Every person in a human society is
associated with a base language which is taken to be the mother tongue or home language. At
a more general level, children of people who migrate to other countries often lose their
knowledge of the mother tongue. Language as a system of rules is a common resource shared
and accessed equally by all members of community of its uses. Language proficiency is the
degree to which each individual has developed the capacity to operate or apply this system to
communicate with others. Knowing about a language is a matter of having information about
it, treating it like an object of study, like ' parts of the body '.Knowing a language is the ability
to use its rule system to communicate through listening, speaking etc.

Literary language is the name given to language as it is employed in literature or modes of

literary communication. Literature gives due importance to the real situations in life, it tends
to concentrate more on the imaginative and the ideal situations. Literature, traditionally
associated with a moral purpose, aims at the ideal and is therefore, accompanied with
refinements not only of thought but of languages as well.

The champions of Romantic Revival like Wordsworth for instance, advocate the use of
language of everyday life as Wordsworth believes that a poet is a man speaking to men. Thus
the language of everyday life is given the status of literary language in Wordsworth’s poetic
theory In general however, the language employed in literature has certain features which
distinguish it from other kinds of language like scientific language and everyday language.
The main objective of everyday language is social interaction, to help people in achieving
success in day to day transactions. Even everyday language sometimes has to be peppered
with or mixed with literary language, where an extra dose of emotion needs to be articulated
or expressed. As Marjorie Boulton rightly points out, it is not unnatural to use figurative
language and that rhetoric is often required, because ordinary day to day language is not
adequate for expressing emotion. In India the Sanskrit alankarikas argued that poetic speech
can be either natural or oblique. The words of a ' Kavya ' or great work of art have, according
to Ananda Vardhana both a vacyartha (direct meaning) and a pratiyamardha (an alternative
meaning) by which is meant a meaning other than the direct meaning. This meaning, the
result of literary expression or literary language is like the charm of damsels which goes
beyond the beauty of mere symmetry of the external limbs. A great work of art, according to
him, attains its beauty more by dhvanithan by direct meaning. It is another way of saying that
for purposes of literary language connotation is better than denotation. Literature is not
history, it is not philosophy, it is not religion. At the same time, it may integrate, unite all
these into its fold and absorb them all into one great experience.

Literature has also a social function. The writer is influenced by society as much as he
sometimes influences it. Art mirrors life and it may even shape it. One of the earliest uses to
which literature has been put, it is argued, is to present a picture of society at a given time.
Even in its most concealed form, literature brings out the outlines of social history of a given
period. Literature exists independently with an aim on its own and can stand on its own.
As a literary language, poetry enjoys the reputation of being an ancient and time honored
mode of communication. Poetry has a vital role in literary tradition. It has been an intense
form of communication from ancient times. It makes use of finer words than prose. Poetry, as
Mallarme said, can purify the dialect of the tribe. Its language is far more refined than that of
prose.

Conclusion:
In essence, Language is man's most important sign system. Human beings have
consciousness and so thoughts and feelings in the mind makes up the bulk of what is
communicated between them, rather than pointing to elements in the physical environment.
Literature gives importance to real situations to life; it tends to concentrate more on the
imaginative and ideal situations. Literature has also a social function. So Literature,
Language, Society, Ethics & Human conscience are interrelated.
References:
1. Downes, William (1984) 'Language and society’, London:Fontana
2. Yule, George (1997) 'The Study of Language' (Second Edition), Cambridge:CUP
3. 'Theory of Literature' Rene Wellek and Austin Warren (Penguin books Ltd, England 1956)
4. Dr.B.R. Ambedkar Open University books