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Fajar Yulia Siahaan

130721023

The Nature of Language and Linguistics

Language is a special gift from God to human. Language is an instrument of

communication, also as an instrument of thinking as well as a source of delight. Language can

help us to transfer out thought or knowledge one to another.

Definition of Language

Linguistics is a study of language. It means the linguist have to know what language is.

Here are some definitions of language that defined by some linguists:

1. Language is a symbol system based on pure or arbitrary conventions, infinitelyextendable and modifiable according to the changing needs and conditions of thespeakers. (Robins)

2. Language is purely human and non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotionsand desires by means of a system of voluntarily produced symbols. (Sapir)

3. Language is the institution whereby humans communicate and interact with each other bymeans of habitually used oral-auditory arbitrary symbols. (Hall)

4. A language is a set (finite or infinite) of sentences, each finite in length and constructedout of a finite set of elements. (Noam Chomsky)

5. A language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols use for human communication.(Wardaugh)

6. A language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols by means of which a social groupcooperates. (Bloch and Trager)

7. Language is undoubtedly a kind of means of communication among human beings. Itconsists primarily of vocal sounds. It is articulatory, systematic, symbolic, and arbitrary.

(Derbyshire)

8. Language is a system of conventional spoken or written symbols by means of whichhuman beings, as members of a social group and participants in its culture, communicate

(Encyclopedia Britannica)

9. Languages are the principal systems of communication used by particular groups ofhuman beings within the particular society (linguistic community)nof which they aremembers (Lyons)

Characteristics of Language

1. Language is a means of communicationLanguage is the most important means of communication between mankind. Without

language we cant communicate our ideas, emotions, beliefs, feelings, etc each other. We

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know that there are many other means of communication used by humans, such as

gestures, nods, winks, flags, smiles, horns, short-hand, braille alphabet, mathematical

symbols, morse code, siren, sketches, maps, acting, miming, dancing, etc. these systems

of communication are not flexible, comprehensive, perfect, and extensive as language is.

Animals also have their system of communication, but its limited to a very small number

of messages, like hunger, fear, and anger.

2. Language is arbitraryLanguage is arbitrary in the sense that there is no inherent relation between the words of

language and their meanings of the ideas conveyed by them. Selection of words in the

languages mentioned here is purely arbitrary, an accident of history. The choice of a word

selected to mean a particular thing or idea is purely arbitrary, but once a word is selected

for a particular referent. It comes to stay as such.

3. Language is a system of systemsLanguage is not an amorphous. Words are arranged in a particular system to frame

acceptable meaningful sentences. Language is thus called a system of systems as itoperates at two levels: phonological and syntactical. In phonological level, there is no

word. Sounds of language appear only in some of fixed combination.

4. Language is primarily vocalLanguage is primarily vocal that must have appeared as vocal sounds only. We learn to

speak first, writing comes much later. During life, we speak much more than write.

Thats why linguist said that speech is primary and writing is secondary.

5. Language is a social phenomenonLanguage exists in society; it is a means of nourishing and developing culture and

establishing human relations. We were born to learn a particular language. We learn a

language to understand the society using that language. If a language is not used in anysociety, it dies out.

6. Language is non-instinctive, conventional:Language is the outcome of evolution and convention. Every language then is a

convention in community. Language is acquired by human beings so it is non-instinctive.

7. Language is systematicLanguage is symbolic and its symbols are arranged in particular system. Through

symbols in each human language are finite, they can be arranged infinitely. All languages

have their system of arrangements. All languages have phonological and grammatical

systems, within a system there are several sub-systems. Thats why language is a system

of systems.

8. Language is unique, creative, complex and modifiableLanguage is a unique phenomenon of the earth. Universal, each language is unique in its

own sense. Each language has its peculiarities and distinct features. Language has

creativity and productivity. It changes according to the needs of society.

9. Duality

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The language that human beings use consists of two sub-systems - sound and meaning. A

finite set of sounds unit can be grouped and re-grouped into units of meaning.

10.ProductivityA speaker may say something that he has never said before and be understood by listener

without difficulty. Man uses the limited linguistic, resources in order to produce

completely novel ideas and utterances.

11.DisplacementOne can talkabout situations, places and objects far removed from ones present

surroundings and time. We often talk about events that happened long time ago and at a

distant place.

12.Language is both linguistic and communicative competenceA language is an abstract set of psychological principles and sociological consideration

that constitute a persons competence as a speaker in a given situation. A language is a

code which is different from the act of encoding; it is a speaker linguistic competence

rather than his linguistic performance.13.Language is human and structurally complex

No species other than human has been endowed with language. Animals cant acquire

human language because of its complex structure and their physical inadequacies. Any

system of animals communication does not make use of the quality of features, that is, of

concurrent systems of sound and meaning.