What is Language? Properties and Characteristics of Language

What is Language? Properties and Characteristics of Language

Human beings have felt the necessity of a medium to communicate with each other from the very beginning of civilization. Language has helped in this purpose. Without language, we could not come to as we know now it. Besides its being a means of communication, it is mandatory in all sectors of life. However, animals also communicate with one another through their own language. But it is a human language that marks a difference between human beings and animals.

What is the definition of language?

Language refers to a system of communication in which human beings, as members of society, communicate with one another by talking, writing, or by the sign.

"A language is a structured system of communication used by humans. Languages consist of spoken sounds in spoken languages or written elements in written languages." 

                             ["Language definition and meaning Collins English Dictionary".                                                             www.collinsdictionary.com.]

Now, we can mention some definitions from classic works by well-known linguists-

Hall defines language as-

“the institution whereby humans communicate and interact with each other by means of habitually used oral-auditory arbitrary symbols’’.

                                                                [An Essay on Language, 1960:158]

Bloch & Trager define language as-

‘‘A language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols by means of which a social group co-operates’’.

                                                           [Outline of Linguistic Analysis,1942:5]

Chomsky tells us strikingly a very different note of transformational grammar-

‘‘From now I will consider a language to be a set of sentences, each finite in length and constructed out of a finite set of elements’’. 

                                                                    [Syntactic Structures,1957:13]

R.H. Robins says-

‘‘Languages are infinitely extendable and modifiable according to the changing needs and conditions of the speakers’’.

                                                         [The Structure of Language, 1971:13]

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Properties of Language:

There are many properties of language. Some of them are given below-

• Reflexivity
• Displacement
• Arbitrariness
• Productivity
• Cultural Transmission
• Duality

Reflexivity:

Reflexivity is the first and most essential property of language. We can use language to assume and point out language itself, making it one of the distinguishing aspects of human language. We can't reflect on or discover any of the other distinct properties of human language except this property.

Displacement:

Displacement means to exchange the order or to go back. Human beings can refer to past and future times. This property of the human language is known as displacement. It permits language users to talk about matters and activities not existing within the current environment.

Arbitrariness:

Arbitrariness refers to the component of language where there is no natural connection between linguistic symptoms and objects. For example, there may be no natural connection between the word ’table’ and consequently the object made from wooden with poles to help and a flat top.

Productivity:

Humans always create new expressions by manipulating their linguistic resources. It is used to describe new objects and situations. This property is well-known as productivity or ‘creativity’ or ‘open-mindedness’. It means that the potential range of utterances in any human language is infinite.

Cultural Transmission:

Cultural Transmission refers to the process where a language is transmitted from one era to another. For instance, if a baby born in Saudi Arabia is adopted by way of Bangladeshi parents, the baby will talk the Bangla language fluently in Bangladesh while his/her physical appearance will be in Saudi Arabia.

Duality:

Duality refers to "double articulation". Human language is organized at two levels simultaneously. This property is called duality. As individual sounds, they don’t suggest anything. But we are in a position to mix them into bin or nib. So at one level, we have distinct sounds, and at any other level, we have distinct meanings.

Characteristics of Language:

 1. Language is Arbitrary:

Language is absolutely arbitrary as there is no inherent connection between the nature of matters or ideas the language deals with. On the other hand, these things and ideas are expressed. There is no reason why a ‘single term’ pronounced otherwise through distinctive communities.

The decision of a word selected to mean a particular issue or concept is honestly arbitrary. It would possibly be seen that if a language is not been arbitrary, there would have been simply a single language that remained throughout the world. That why we can think about language as arbitrary vocal symbols.

2. Language is a Social Phenomenon:

In a sense, language must be viewed as a social phenomenon. Language is social that exists in our human society; it is a means of nourishing and developing culture and organizing human relations. As a member of a particular social group, we human beings interact with every other, which approves us to become aware of one another. This is how language is the section and parcel of our society. Language exists in the public area, is an approach for feeding and growing society, and sets up human relations. 

3. Language is a Symbolic System:

Language signifies as a symbolic system. It consists of unique kinds of sound symbols for concepts, things, ideas, objects, etc. Language has sounds and words as symbols. The language uses words essentially as symbols and not as signs and symptoms for the idea represented by using them. 

4. Language is Systematic:

In spite of the reality that language is symbolic, its symbols are arranged in specific systems. All languages have their arrangement of plans. Each language is an association of systems. Furthermore, all languages have phonological and syntactic structures and within a system, there are additionally various sub-systems.

5. Language is Vocal, Verbal, and Sound:

Language refers to a system of vocal and verbal symbolism and communication. It is surely comprised of vocal sounds simply created with the aid of a physiological articulatory component in the human body. Language takes verbal components such as sounds, words, and phrases which are constant up in certain methods to make several sentences. Language is vocal and sound is produced through special speech organs. Writing can be regarded as a wise platform to signify vocal sounds. It is the representation of the speech sounds of the language.

6. Language is Non-Instinctive, Conventional:

No language used to be made in multi-day out of a normally settled upon the recipe through a gathering of people. Language is the result of development and tradition. Every age transmits this subculture on to the following.

7. Language is Productive and Creative:

Language has it’s very own effectiveness and innovativeness. The auxiliary factors of human language joined to created new expressions.  They neither the speaker nor his/her listeners can also ever have made or heard previously. Truly, the two facets are aware of barring trouble. Language can be modified as indicated by using the requirements of human society. After all, language has the energy of productiveness and creativity.

8. Language is a System of Communication:

Language is strong, handy and the quality shape of conversation for no doubt. It is a quality way to specify everything. It is thru language that we human beings categorical our thoughts, desires, feelings, and feelings. Further, we can engage with every different without problems via the welfare of language. After all, we might also say that language is a high-quality machine of verbal exchange around the world.

9. Language is Human and Structurally Complex:

Human language is open-minded, extendable, and modifiable in opposite to animal language. Language ought to be modifiable from time to time. No species different than human beings have been endowed with the language. So we can say that language is naturally human and in some cases, structurally complicated and modifiable.

10. Language is Unique, Complex, and Modifiable:

It’s proper that language is a special phenomenon in the world. Every language has its personal traits and extraordinary features. Furthermore, every language has its very own creativity and productivity to supply the first-class approaches to speak with every other. And this is how language has its very own potentiality to be unique, complicated, and modifiable by means of the exchange of time and culture.

In Conclusion, it can be said that these traits of a language are part and parcel to construct the authenticity of any language. It is the way by which we can communicate with one another. So, we should learn the language with all its aspects.

Sources Referred:

"An Introduction to Language"- Victoria Fromkin, Robert Rodman and Nina Hyams

"Language, An Introductory Reader" J. Burl Hodgins and Robert E. Yarber

Aitchison, J. (2007) "The Articulate Mammal: An Introduction to Psycholinguistics"

Yule, G. (2005) The Study of Language (3 rev edn) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.