WHAT IS LANGUAGE?

INTRODUCTION In order to interact,human beings have developed a language which distinguishes them from the rest of the animal world. In order to interact,human beings have developed a language which distinguishes them from the rest of the animal world. On the one hand, language is an innate ability that humanity posess and on the other hand, it is a complex process that requires the understanding of it as a system, including its functions, structure and purpose. On the one hand, language is an innate ability that humanity posess and on the other hand, it is a complex process that requires the understanding of it as a system, including its functions, structure and purpose. Due to the universal necessity of communication, several differents types of languages have been developed under the influence of other languages and relevant key factors in history Due to the universal necessity of communication, several differents types of languages have been developed under the influence of other languages and relevant key factors in history

WHAT IS LANGUAGE? SYSTEM IN LANGUAGE PHONOLOGY MORPHOLOGY SYNTAX SEMANTICS GRAMMAR FUNCTIONS OF LANGUAGE DEFINITION LANGUAGE TYPES GEOGRAPHICAL CLASSIFICATION GENETIC CLASSIFICATION CONSTRUCTED LANGUAGE TYPOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION ANALYTIC LANGUAGE POLYSYNTHETIC LANGUAGE AGGLUTINATIVE LANGUAGE INFLECTING LANGUAGE UNIVERSALS

DEFINITION LANGUAGE IS A SYSTEM OF ARBITRARY VOCAL SYMBOLS BY MEANS OF WHICH THOUGHT IS CONVEY FROM ONE HUMAN BEING TO ANOTHER. LANGUAGE IS A SYSTEM OF ARBITRARY VOCAL SYMBOLS BY MEANS OF WHICH THOUGHT IS CONVEY FROM ONE HUMAN BEING TO ANOTHER.

SYSTEM IN LANGUAGE AT THE LEVEL OF PHONOLOGY (sound) AT THE LEVEL OF PHONOLOGY (sound) System can be seen in the ways in which the phonemes can be combined into words. Example: there are restrictions on the combination in which English phonemes can occur. We can have “spl” but never “sgl” at the begining.

SYSTEM IN LANGUAGE AT THE LEVEL OF MORPHOLOGY (form) AT THE LEVEL OF MORPHOLOGY (form) It is found in the way in which words are constructed from smaller parts. It is found in the way in which words are constructed from smaller parts. The smallest element in a language is called a morpheme. A word may consist of one morpheme or of many. For example: the word “unthoughtful” consists of three morphemes. Bound morphemes, like prefixes and suffixes, are used for the formation of new words. For example: fun (n)+Y=funny (adj) The smallest element in a language is called a morpheme. A word may consist of one morpheme or of many. For example: the word “unthoughtful” consists of three morphemes. Bound morphemes, like prefixes and suffixes, are used for the formation of new words. For example: fun (n)+Y=funny (adj)

SYSTEM IN LANGUAGE AT THE LEVEL OF SYNTAX (order) AT THE LEVEL OF SYNTAX (order) System is also found in the rules for combining words into utterances. System is also found in the rules for combining words into utterances. For example: The dog bit John ( we know it was the dog and not John the one that performed the action) For example: The dog bit John ( we know it was the dog and not John the one that performed the action)

SYSTEM IN LANGUAGE AT THE LEVEL OF SEMANTICS (meaning) AT THE LEVEL OF SEMANTICS (meaning) Meaning depends on the language and its needs. It depends on the context it is used and the spectrum it should cover. Meaning depends on the language and its needs. It depends on the context it is used and the spectrum it should cover. For example: Latin has only one word for dark blue and dark green but no word exactly corresponding to English grey For example: Latin has only one word for dark blue and dark green but no word exactly corresponding to English grey

SYSTEM IN LANGUAGE AT THE LEVEL OF GRAMMAR AT THE LEVEL OF GRAMMAR At this level the change of word-order may change the meaning of the sentence. At this level the change of word-order may change the meaning of the sentence. For example: The dog bits John. This word order, S-V-O, tell us which is the biter and which the bitten For example: The dog bits John. This word order, S-V-O, tell us which is the biter and which the bitten

LANGUAGES are said to be ARBITRARY because there is no necessary or natural relationship between the words of a given language and the concepts that they represent LANGUAGES are said to be ARBITRARY because there is no necessary or natural relationship between the words of a given language and the concepts that they represent A HUMAN LANGUAGE is a signalling system. As its material, it uses vocal sounds. A language is something which is spoken, the written language is secondary and derivative A HUMAN LANGUAGE is a signalling system. As its material, it uses vocal sounds. A language is something which is spoken, the written language is secondary and derivative

A LANGUAGE is a system of vocal sounds. These sounds are SYMBOLIC. A symbol is a kind of sign. A sign is something that stands for something else. A LANGUAGE is a system of vocal sounds. These sounds are SYMBOLIC. A symbol is a kind of sign. A sign is something that stands for something else.

LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS

FUNCTIONS OF LANGUAGE Language is used for more than one purpose It enables us to influence one another’s behaviour: It enables us to influence one another’s behaviour: For an expressive purpose. For example: relieving feelings For an expressive purpose. For example: relieving feelings As an instrument of thought. For example: to clarify ideas or a subject As an instrument of thought. For example: to clarify ideas or a subject To strengthen the bonds of cohesion between the members of a society. For example: when two neighbors gossip. To strengthen the bonds of cohesion between the members of a society. For example: when two neighbors gossip.

LANGUAGE TYPES

LANGUAGE TYPES GEOGRAPHICAL CLASSIFICATION GENETIC CLASSIFICATION TYPOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION CONSTRUCTED LANGUAGES

LANGUAGE TYPES Geographical classification: Languages share similar features: their speakers have been in contact for a long time within a common community and the language converged in the course of the history. Geographical classification: Languages share similar features: their speakers have been in contact for a long time within a common community and the language converged in the course of the history. Genetic classification: Languages are grouped into families with a common ansestor. Genetic classification: Languages are grouped into families with a common ansestor.

LANGUAGE TYPES Typological classification: Languages are grouped as the result of the internal structure of the language (grammar) on the bases of basic order of verb, subject and object Typological classification: Languages are grouped as the result of the internal structure of the language (grammar) on the bases of basic order of verb, subject and object Constructed Languages: Artificial languages for practical, experimental, personal or ideological reasons. Constructed Languages: Artificial languages for practical, experimental, personal or ideological reasons.

TYPOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION

ANALYTIC LANGUAGE: It uses very few bound morphemes such as English prefixes and suffixes (Refill;slowLY) and in the inflexions of English nouns and verbs (boxES; talkING; talkED) It uses very few bound morphemes such as English prefixes and suffixes (Refill;slowLY) and in the inflexions of English nouns and verbs (boxES; talkING; talkED) For ex: Chinese has few bound forms,its words being mostly one-syllable morphemes or compounds of three morphemes For ex: Chinese has few bound forms,its words being mostly one-syllable morphemes or compounds of three morphemes Have free morphemes considered to be independent words have stricter and more elaborate syntactic rules rely heavily on context and pragmatic considerations for the interpretation of sentences

TYPOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION AGGLUTINATIVE LANGUAGE In linguistics, agglutination is the morphological process of adding affixes to the base of a word. Languages that use agglutination widely are called agglutinative languages. Some languages may use agglutination in the most- often-used constructs, and use agglutination heavily in certain contexts, such as word derivation. Japanese is an agglutinating language, adding information such as negation, passive voice, past tense, honorific degree and causality in the verb form. Word is built up out of a long linear sequence. Often a single morpheme constitutes a sentence. E.g. in Swahili: mimi ni– na –ku penda wewe

TYPOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION INFLECTING LANGUAGES: Grammatical relationships are expressed by changing the internal structure of the words through inflections Suffixes typically express several grammatical meanings. E.g. in Polish: szloch-am (-am = 1sg, pres. or cont. tense, active, indicative) 'I am sobbing' Many Indo-European and Semitic languages belong to this group

TYPOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION POLYSYNTHETIC LANGUAGE A Polysynthetic language is that in which the greatest number of ideas are comprised in the least number of words These highly synthetic languages often have very long words that correspond to complete sentences in less synthetic languages. Forms of synthesis: There are several ways in which a language can exhibit synthetic characteristics:In derivational synthesis, morphemes of different types (nouns, verbs, affixes, etc.) are joined to create new words. For example:English: antidisestablishmentarianis m => "against-ending- institutionalize-condition- advocate-ideology"

LANGUAGE UNIVERSALS

Language universals refers to features which all languages posses, and must posses. Typology examines language variation, while the study of universals tries to establish the limits of this variation. The search for linguistics universals was influenced by the work of Noam Chomsky who maintains that human language is innate; that is to say, all languages have the same underlying structure Language universals refers to features which all languages posses, and must posses. Typology examines language variation, while the study of universals tries to establish the limits of this variation. The search for linguistics universals was influenced by the work of Noam Chomsky who maintains that human language is innate; that is to say, all languages have the same underlying structure

LANGUAGE UNIVERSALS Some universals are absolute. For example, that all languages have vowels. Some universals are absolute. For example, that all languages have vowels. Some are not quite universals. For example, nearly all languages have nasal consonants but there are just a few that lack them. Some are not quite universals. For example, nearly all languages have nasal consonants but there are just a few that lack them.