Romelo, Ray Allen B.

BSME1B

Language

In the modern time, globalization merged people of different cultural background into cities and
countries. Language differences is a big barrier to it but as time passes people tend to absorb other
culture and merge it with their, and a part of that culture is language. Since we are living in a
multicultural place, language plays a big part of letting us express ourselves, but what is its origin? Can
animals be taught human language if they are also raised in the same environment as ours?

Language is a daily tool that we used to express ourselves, or the so-called Primary means of
communication (Kottak,2008). This tool has existed for thousand of years, and according to linguistic
anthropology, language brought diversity, comparison, and change to anthropology. As said language is
like a culture, therefore, language is transmitted through learning, wherein in language a certain word
stands for a certain thing. Anthropologist study language in its social and cultural context (Bonvillain
2003; Salzmann 2003). Linguistic anthropologist used the modern language to decrypt or recreate an
ancient language; an example is the Old English language, most of its words aren’t used on the modern
English but some parts of it was inherited by its descendant. On the other hand, some anthropologist
are trying dig into the role of language in colonization and globalization (Geis 1987; Thomas 1999).
There is also what is called Sociolinguistics, this means the social factor that affects the usage of
language. Sociolinguist are examining a language on how social differences affects are style of using it.

A speech community is a type of community that speaks several languages; a good example of a
speech community is Zamboanga city because a lot of people using different languages interact. Inside a
speech community, lots of variation of languages is present, also, aside from languages there are
different ways of using a language and one of its cause is the Regional pattern. Regional pattern is a way
of speaking or accent that people from a certain region use, an example is the city chavacano and the
rural chavacano, wherein they are the same language but they have little differences and using words
and in accents. It is very common in this community for the people to know more than one language.
There are also some that you need to learn and this could produce a Positive or Negative transfer. A
Positive transfer means that when learning a new language and that new language has similarities to
your mother tongue or other language learned, it will be easier to learn it, example is learning Cebuano
while knowing hiligaynon. Negative transfer on the other hand means that the new language you’re
trying to learn doesn’t have any similarities to the languages you know, an example of this is learning
tausug while knowing chavacano.

It is said that Humans, created language and are the only creatures that can use it, but humans
are from the primate specie so is it possible to teach primates our language? Non-Human Primate have
their own way of communication which is called a Call system. This call system is used specific signals for
other non-human primates to know if there are food, dangers, and intruders in the territory. Unlike
human language, this call system cannot combine its signal to form another meaning which made t
failed to be considered a language. In language, the past and the future can be described unlike the call
system that can only describe the present. In the 1960’s a couple decided to raise a chimpanzee with the
hope to teach her human language but it failed, since at the end the chimpanzee only learned 4 words.
There is a biological reason for this, because the vocal of apes I not compatible in learning human
language. Though humans are primates, but we are the upper primates with enough intelligence to
combine our calls which produced the rich language we have today.
 Language played a big part in globalization, not only did it let people of the present share
thoughts with each other, but also the people of old. Since in language the past, present, and future
could be expressed through different means. This tool that existed for a long time might be the reason
why humanity stood at the top in this world up to the present. I wonder if the language used today will
still be alive after a millennial.