The Nature of Language

THE NATURE
OF
LANGUAGE
PURPOSIVE
COMMUNICATION Wynces Shaira P. Legaspi, LPT
Instructor
TARGET/OBJECTIVES
At the end of this learning module, students are

expected to:
• Identify the nature, elements and functions of
language
• Present ideas in a writing the relationship of
language and communication and its importance
2
LEARNING GUIDE
QUESTIONS
1.What is language?
2.How did you learn the language you are using now?
3.Why do you think language is important in communication? Is
there a relationship between the two?
4.What is the difference between language acquisition and
language learning?
5.What is the difference between first language and second
language?
6.Do you think language is for human only?
3
WHAT IS LANGUAGE?
• Method of human communication, either spoken

or written, consisting of the use of words in a
structure and conventional way.
• Language is a system of conventional spoken,

manual, or written symbols by means of which
human beings, as members of a social group and
participants in its culture, express themselves. 4
WHAT IS LANGUAGE?
• Language is a system of communication or arbitrary
vocal sounds by means of which human beings are
used to communicate and interact with each other in
their everyday life.
• Language is the most important phenomenon in the

world. From birth to death, all our activities are
regulated by language. The human knowledge and 5
culture are stored and transmitted in language.
SOME SCHOLARS DEFINITION OF
LANGUAGE
 According to Sapir, language is a purely human and non-

instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotions, and
desires by means of a system of voluntarily produced sounds.
The definition of Sapir expresses that language is mainly
concerned with only human beings and constituted a system of
sounds produced by them for communication.
 According to Aristotle, language is a speech sound produced

by human beings in order to express their ideas, emotions, 6
SOME SCHOLARS DEFINITION OF
LANGUAGE
 Noam Chomsky says the language is the inherent capability of the native
speakers to understand and form grammatical sentences. A language is a set
of (finite or infinite) sentences, each finite length and constructed out of a
finite set of elements. This definition of language considers sentences as the
basis of a language. Sentences may be limited or unlimited in number, and
are made up of only limited components.
 Derbyshire says the language is undoubtedly a kind of means of

communication among human beings. It consists primarily of vocal sounds.
It is articulatory, systematic, symbolic and arbitrary. This definition of
7
Derbyshire clearly utters, language is the best source of communication. It
FUNCTIONS OF
LANGUAGE
• Expression of identity;
• Play imaginative expression; and
• Emotional release
8
NATURE OF LANGUAGE
LANGUAGE IS VOCAL, VERBAL AND SOUND
 Language is a system of vocal and verbal symbolism. It is

essentially comprised of vocal sounds just created by a
physiological articulatory component in the human body.
Language is vocal and sound which is produced by different
speech organs. Writing can be considered as an intelligent
platform to represent vocal sounds. It is the graphic
representation of the speech sounds of the language. 9
NATURE OF LANGUAGE
LANGUAGE IS DYNAMIC
 Language is constantly changing.
 It changes over time.
10
NATURE OF LANGUAGE
LANGUAGE IS SYSTEMATIC
 It is describable in terms of finite number of

units that can combine only in a limited
number of ways. Due to that, terms such as
sound system, grammatical system etc.
emerged as part those terms used in describing
11
and comparing languages.
NATURE OF LANGUAGE
LANGUAGE IS SYSTEM OF SYSTEMS
 Each language has phonological (or sound) system

and a grammatical system. Each one has its units and
rules of possible combination and order. Language is
a system of systems; all of which operates
simultaneously, but the distinctions we make it for the
sake of analysis, the units and combinatory rules 12
prober to each.
NATURE OF LANGUAGE
LANGUAGE IS MEANINGFUL
 It is principally through the acquisition of

language that the child becomes an effective
member of the community, and the leaders in
a community preserve and advance their
leadership largely through their ability to
13
communicate with people through language.
NATURE OF LANGUAGE
LANGUAGE IS ARBITRARY
 This refers to the idea that the conditions required for the
existence of more than one language: that there be no direct
necessary connection between the nature of things or ideas
language deals with and the linguistic units and combinations by
which these things or ideas are expressed.
 No language is inferior to the other.

14
NATURE OF LANGUAGE
LANGUAGE IS CONVENTIONAL
 No language was made in multi-day out of a commonly settled

upon the recipe by a gathering of people. Language is the result
of advancement and tradition. Every age transmits this
tradition on to the following.
 Like every single human organization, language likewise

changes and pass on, develop and extend. Each language is a 15
tradition in a network. It is non-natural since it is procured by
NATURE OF LANGUAGE
LANGUAGE IS A SYSTEM OF CONTRAST
 What makes single speaker’s habit valid

for the speech of a community is that
language is a system of differences.
16
NATURE OF LANGUAGE
LANGUAGE IS CREATIVE
 Language can be used to create a new world

through the imaginative manipulation of the
standard interlocking of the phonological,
grammatical and lexical systems poets and
creative writers or speakers which extend our
17
awareness of possible relations among things.
NATURE OF LANGUAGE
LANGUAGE IS UNIQUE
 Each language is unique because it has

its own style of functioning. The sounds,
vocabulary and structures of every
language have their own specialty.
18
NATURE OF LANGUAGE
LANGUAGE IS SIMILAR
 All the languages have certain features in

common. This characteristic opens the
possibility of language learning although some
languages are very different from each other
the common features help in language
19
learning process.
LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
 Language is acquire in the community. The

languages acquire while growing up are known as
mother tongues, which may also refer to as first
languages.
 Languages are needed for various reasons. These

other languages may be referred to as second
languages. These may be learned by studying 20
LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
 Animals are said to be able to communicate with

each other. They can understand one another through
sounds and gestures. Whale sings, wolves, howl,
dogs bark, and birds chirp. The sounds these
creatures produce often reflect their emotions. While
it may be true that animals communicate, only human
beings are truly capable of producing language.
21
THANKS!
Any questions?
You can find me at
Email: [email protected]
Fb: Wynces Shaira Legaspi
Messenger: Wynces Shaira Legaspi
0930-756-7321
22

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THE NATURE

At the end of this learning module, students are

• Method of human communication, either spoken

• Language is a system of conventional spoken,

• Language is the most important phenomenon in the

 According to Sapir, language is a purely human and non-

 According to Aristotle, language is a speech sound produced

 Derbyshire says the language is undoubtedly a kind of means of

• Play imaginative expression; and

LANGUAGE IS VOCAL, VERBAL AND SOUND

 Language is a system of vocal and verbal symbolism. It is

 Language is constantly changing.

 It changes over time.

 It is describable in terms of finite number of

LANGUAGE IS SYSTEM OF SYSTEMS

 Each language has phonological (or sound) system

 It is principally through the acquisition of

 No language is inferior to the other.

 No language was made in multi-day out of a commonly settled

 Like every single human organization, language likewise

LANGUAGE IS A SYSTEM OF CONTRAST

 What makes single speaker’s habit valid

 Language can be used to create a new world

 Each language is unique because it has

 All the languages have certain features in

 Language is acquire in the community. The

 Languages are needed for various reasons. These

 Animals are said to be able to communicate with

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