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Language: Definition, Nature, and Characteristics Definitions of Language

Language can be defined as a system of communication using words and structured sounds to express thoughts between people. It has a nature and characteristics. It is based on a combination of sounds with meanings assigned to words. While words are static, meanings can change over time and differ between people. Language follows grammatical structures and is learned through oral and aural means. Languages can decline and become extinct if their speakers switch to other languages or die out. Language is diverse, dynamic, has different levels, allows for creativity, and identifies cultures, though meanings assigned to words are arbitrary and differ between languages.

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6K views3 pages

Language: Definition, Nature, and Characteristics Definitions of Language

Language can be defined as a system of communication using words and structured sounds to express thoughts between people. It has a nature and characteristics. It is based on a combination of sounds with meanings assigned to words. While words are static, meanings can change over time and differ between people. Language follows grammatical structures and is learned through oral and aural means. Languages can decline and become extinct if their speakers switch to other languages or die out. Language is diverse, dynamic, has different levels, allows for creativity, and identifies cultures, though meanings assigned to words are arbitrary and differ between languages.

Uploaded by

Gwyneth Gloria
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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LANGUAGE: DEFINITION, NATURE, AND CHARACTERISTICS

DEFINITIONS OF LANGUAGE
1. It is the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of
the use of words in a structured and conventional way.
2. It is a system of words or signs that people use to express thoughts and feelings
to each other. (merriam-webster.com)
3. It is a system of communication, a medium for thought, and a social interaction.
NATURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF LANGUAGE
NATURE OF LANGUAGE
1 Language is a combination of sounds.
2 Words have meanings.
MEANING ARE IN PEOPLE NOT IN WORDS. Because of this, you must not
only consider your interpretation of the word, but also the meaning the
communicator is trying to get through
“Set” is the word with the most number of meanings
Noun: 58 Verb: 126 Adjective: 10
3 Language follows a grammatical structure.
4 Language is based on aural and oral system.
5. Language can die and be extinct. EXAMPLE Ancient Greek slowly evolved into
modern Greek, and Latin slowly evolved into modern Italian
An endangered language is a language that is at risk of falling out of use as its
speakers die out or shift to speaking another language. Language loss occurs
when the language has no more native speakers, and becomes a "dead
language".
Yuchi (Euchee) is the language of the Yuchi people living in the southeastern
United States, including eastern Tennessee, western Carolinas, northern Georgia
and Alabama, in the period of early European colonization. However, speakers of
the Yuchi language were forcibly relocated to Oklahoma in the early 19th century.
An extinct language is a language that no longer has any speakers, or that is no
longer in current use.
Dead languages are still known and used in special contexts in written form.
A dead language may remain in use for scientific, legal, or ecclesiastical
functions. Old Church Slavonic, Classical Armenian, Avestan, Coptic, Biblical
Hebrew, New Testament Greek, Ge'ez, Ardhamagadhi, Pali, Sanskrit and Latin
are among the many dead languages used as sacred languages.
6 Language can be diverse.
SOME REASONS FOR THE GROWTH AND DECLINE OF LANGUAGE:
Changing societal needs
Erosion of old customs
Call for elegance

CHARACTERISTICS OF LANGUAGE
1 Language is dynamic.
WORD is STATIC while MEANING is DYNAMIC
2 Language has levels.
3 Language is creative and unique.
4 Language is a means of communication.
5 Language identifies culture.
6 Language is arbitrary.
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. Also, languages are arbitrary because the rules for the combination of
signs in order to produce complete thoughts are different from one language to
the other, and no set of rules can claim to be the "right" one.

REFERENCES:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/language

https://www.slideshare.net/eyenabainza/language-definition-nature-and-characteristics

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