LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
Language is a complex phenomenon
that is difficult to define more especially that it deals essentially with
people in their relationship irrespective of time, place and context. This is
couples with the fact that there are many types of language today such as
computer language, animal communicative system, sign language and so on.
DEFINITION OF LANGUAGE
Many language linguists had defined
language differently. The following are some of the definitions of language
Chomsk and Halle: Language is a system of rules which determined the
relation of sound to meaning for an infinity of sentences for the language.
Saapir (1921): It is a purely human and non instinctive method of
communicating ideals, emotions and desires by means of voluntarily produced
symbols.
Other Scholar: It is a system of vocal sounds and signs to which meaning
is attached by common agreement of cultural conventions used for communication
among the members of the community or social group or society that owns it.
Therefore language is a tool for producing meaning by at
least, two people which may occur as whether spoken or written and functions in
contexts of situation and culture.
CHARACTERISTICS OF
LANGUAGE
Languages possess different aspects
and qualities, which sets it apart from other rudimentary communication codes
employed by animals or other inanimate objects.
Below
are some of these attributes of language.
1. It must be systematic: There
must be a particular way a language is being used.
2. It must be arbitrary: There
is no universality or direct or natural relationship between a word and its
object.
*The fact that something is named “Y” in a language does not
mean it should be named “Y” in another language
3. It is Instrinsic and instinctive: It is naturally acquired and the learner of the language
tries to develop it from the environment. The style and the system of speaking
the language around him affect him or her.
4. It is dynamic:
the dynamism of human language differentiates it from animal. Every language
grows and as it grows certain changes occur perhaps in the spoken or written
aspect of it.
5. It is culturally transmittable: For example, a child born into an Anglophone country will
definitely grow up to speak the English language because it is the major medium
of communication in that area and he also grows to teach younger ones. This is
how the language will be continuously passed from one generation to another for
it not to die.
6. It is discrete:
The phonetic sounds that are used in human language which make up the words are
quite discrete. For example, in English language, the words “lake” and “make”,
“rat” “bat” and “ “see” “bee” differs from each other in meaning because of the
difference of the phonemes “l” and “m”,
“r” and “b”, “s” and “b”. This discreteness between phonemes of language
facilitates understanding of the words.
7. It is reflexive:
It is possible to used language to talk about language and this is a unique
feature of language because language is the only communicative system that has
a descriptive function.
8. It is reciprocal /
interchangeable:
For a human language to be effectively used and of course, complete, the basic
elements of communication process must be present. Theses are the “encoder” or
the “source” and the “decoder” or “receiver”. This implies that the
communication must be initiated by someone to another person (receiver) who has
to give feedback.
9. It must be
conventional:
A language must be universal either locally or internationally. For instance,
every user of the English language must have a clear understanding of what the
word “HOUSE” means. In essence, as a matter of convention, all user of English
language must agree to call all kinds of houses as house. So also shoe, school,
television, etc irrespective of sizes and types.
FUNCTIONS OF LANGUAGE
Having knowing the attributes of
language, it is essential to know what language can be used for.
Language is used;
1. For Communication: The most important functions of language in any given
society is to provide an effective communication system in order to ensure that
there is harmony among the people in the society
Man is a social animal and need to interact with others.
Language is the only means of doing this.
2. For Preservation, Perpetration and Transmission of Culture: Language as earlier been referred
to as an integral part of the culture of any society. Through it, culture is
being preserved, perpetrated and transmitted from one generation to another.
3. For Expression: Language is used to express one’s feelings and emotions.
This can however be expressed verbally or through a non - verbal medium like
gestures, nods, screams, kicking, shouting, etc and it could be written.
4. For Entertainment: Language can be used for
entertainment purposes especially in plays, songs, stories, etc as a way of
giving pleasure to those who are ready to listen to them.
5. For regulation: Language is used to influence people’s behavior and control
events within the society. For example, language is used to make law, language
is used to pass information about the law, and language is also used to judge
approved or disapproved behavior.
6. For politics: Language is used to mobilize people into action. As a
powerful political weapon, it could be used to toil many people to vote along
ethno linguistic line.
7. For direction: Language is used to convey important instruction or order.
It can be used to persuade, threaten or enforce.
8. Language is also used in naming
objects and concepts which are differentiated through the names given to them.
In essence, it is used for identification purposes and to ensure that there is
no mis-substitution. For instance, there is a difference between “Slipper” and
“Shoe” even though both of them are hardware materials.
Readers Also Read
Suggested Topic