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What is language?
- There is no comprehensive definition of language . The only
answer to the question “What is language?” is “Language is
language”.
- Language is a very complex human phenomenon.
- In a nutshell, language is an organized voice used in actual
social situations.
- In the Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol.13., language is defined
as “ a system of conventional, spoken or written symbols by
means of which human beings, as members of a social group
and participant in its culture, communicate.”
1. “ Language is a primarily human and non-instinctive
method of communicating ideas, emotions and desires by
means of a system of voluntarily produced
symbols.”
Edward Sapir, Language,
1921
2. “ Language is a symbol system based on pure or
arbitrary conventions…infinitely extendable and
modifiable according to the changing needs and
conditions of the speakers”.
R..H. Robins, 1985
3. “ Language is a set (finite or infinite) of
sentences, each finite in length and constructed out of a
finite set of elements.”
Noam Chomsky, 1957
4. “ Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbol by
means of which a social group cooperate.”
Wardaugh,
1972
- It is clearly evident from all these definitions, none of
which completely defines the term “Language”, that is not
possible to have a single definition that brings out all the
properties of language.
- On the basis of these definitions one can, however, list out
the various characteristics of Language.
Characteristics of Language:
- Language is a means of communication
LANGUAGE IS A MEANS OF
COMMUNICATION
People can communicate their ideas, emotions
beliefs or feelings to each other, as they share a
common code that makes up the language.
Language is so important form of
communication between humans that it is
difficult to think of a society without language.
LANGUAGE IS ARBITRARY
There is no inherent relation between the
words of a language and their meanings
or the ideas conveyed by them.
LANGUAGE IS A SYSTEM OF
SYSTEMS.
Lg. is not a chaotic combination of sounds.
Sounds are arranged in certain fixed or
established, systematic order to form
meaning full units or words. Similarly,
words are also arranged in a particular
system.
LANGUAGE IS VOCAL
Lg. is primarily made up of vocal sounds. 
It must have appeared as vocal sounds
only. Writing must have come much later.
LANGUAGE IS HUMAN.
It differs from animal communication in 
several ways.
Humans convey and receive an infinite 
number of messages through space where
as animal com. System is extremely
limited and developed.
LANGUAGE IS A FORM OF
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR.
Lg. has to be learnt in a society. A human
child learns to speak the lg. of the
community of the group in which he is
placed. China, America, etc.

LANGUAGE IS A SYMBOL
SYSTEM
A symbol is a concrete event, 
object or mark that stands for something
relatively abstract. e.g. ball ,+ cross

HUMAN LANGUAGE AND ANIMAL
COMMUNICATION
Human language
Animal com. system
1- unlimited and infinite.
1- limited and finite
2- open system
2- closed system
3- extendable, modifiable
3- un-extendable, un-modifiable
4- flexible and full of variety
4- inflexible and without
variety
5- instinctive
6- inherited
7- not conditioned by
geography
8- no creativity
9- no grammaticality
10- only behavioral
5- non instinctive
6- acquired
7- conditioned by geography
8- full of creativity
9- has grammaticality
10- cognitive as well as
behavioral
11- descriptive and narrative
11- non descriptive and non
narrative
LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge of the Sound System: Knowing what 
sounds are in that language and what sounds are
not.
Knowledge of Words: Knowing the sound units
that are related to specific meanings.

Knowledge of Sentences: Knowing how to form
sentences.

THAT’S ALL FOR
TODAY
See you next class
Dr. Khader T. Khader