What is language?
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This document provides an introduction to the English alphabet including the sounds of each letter. It discusses key aspects of what defines human language and how it differs from animal communication systems. It notes that while everyone understands the concept of language, providing a single standard definition has been challenging. The document lists some characteristics of language including that it is a means of communication, arbitrary, a complex system, primarily vocal but also written, unique to humans, modifiable and uses discrete symbols. Students are assigned to ask a question about the topic and list other forms of communication besides oral speech.
What is language?
- 2. Introduction to the Sounds of English Alphabet
- 3. Alphabet of English A /eɪ/ F /ef/ K /keɪ/ P /pi:/ B /bi:/ G /dʒi:/ L /el/ Q /kju:/ C /si:/ H /eɪtʃ/ M /em/ R /ɑ:(r)/ D /di:/ I /aɪ/ N /en/ S /es/ E /i:/ J /dʒeɪ/ O /əʊ/ T /ti:/
- 4. U /ju:/ Z /zed/ /zi:/ V /vi:/ W /dʌblju:/ X /eks/ Y /waɪ/
- 7. Do you know how many languages exist in the world?
- 8. The world has about 7106 languages. Pakistan 72
- 9. What you think THEWORLD without language!
- 10. Without language we would have no conversation, no songs, no stories, no jokes, and no civilization as we undersatnd the term. Indeed, perhaps we would be like intelligent monkeys but would we be human? One doubts that we would. Language distinguishes us from animals.
- 12. Everybody knows the answer of this question but nobody has so far been able to come out with any standard definition that fully explians the term language.
- 13. 1. Language is a means of communication. 2. Language is arbitrary. 3. Language is a system of systems. 4. Language is primarily vocal. Speech is primary, writing is secondary. 5. Language is human. It differs from animal communication in several ways. (a) Humans convey and receive an infinite
- 14. number of messages through space whereas animal communication system is extremely limited and undeveloped. (b) Language makes use of clearly distinguishable, discrete, separately identifiable symbols while animal communication systems are often continuous and non-discrete.
- 15. (c) Animal communication system are closed system and permit no change whereas language is modifiable, extendable and open-ended. (d) Human language is structurally more complex than animal communication system.
- 16. 6. Language is a form of social behaviour. 7. Language is a symbol system.
- 19. Assignment: In the next class, everyone must ask me at least one question from the topic which we have covered today. Write down at least five other sources of communication in the society except vocal/oral system.
- 20. THANK YOU SO MUCH ANY QUESTION?