What is

language?
 Modern Linguistics – by
John Carroll
Language is a structured system of
arbitrary vocal sounds and sequences of
sounds which is used in interpersonal
communication and which rather
exhaustively catalogs the things, events,
and processes of human experience.
 Social Scientists
Language is an open system interacting
with, changed by, and changing its
environment as part of culture. The
humanness of language and its place in
human society is one of the most
necessary and complex of all social skills.
 TRANSFORMATIONALISTS – BY
CHOMSKY

Language is a system which relates

meanings to substance. Language is a
mental phenomenon. It is innate. Man
has the genetically imparted ability
for language learning.
Webster’s New International Dictionary
of the English Language, 1961

Language is a systematic means of

communicating ideas or feelings by
the use of conventionalized signs,
sounds, gestures, or marks having
understood meanings.
 Random House Dictionary of the
English Language, 1966

Language is any set or system of

linguistic symbols as used in a more
or less uniform fashion by a number
of people who are thus enabled to
communicate intelligibly with one
another.
 RONALD WARDHAUGH, 1972

Language is a system of arbitrary

vocal symbols used for human
communication.
 MARY FINOCCHIARO 1964

Language is a system of arbitrary,

vocal symbols which permit all
people in a given culture to
communicate or to interact.
 TASK: COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE
DEFINITIONS AND SUMMARIZE THEM IN A
TABLE

Definition Similarities Differences

Note: Include the meaning or your

interpretation of the terms you listed under
similarities and differences
SOME CONSIDERATIONS IN RELATION TO THE DEFINITIONS
OF LANGUAGE

1. Language is used for communication

2. Language is essentially human, although
possibly not limited to humans
3. Language is a set of arbitrary symbols
4. Those symbols are primarily vocal, but may
also be visual
5. The symbols have conventionalized meanings
to which they refer.
6. Language is systematic and generative
7. Language operates in a speech community or
culture.