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Language is a structured system of communication characterized by grammar and vocabulary, enabling humans to convey meaning through spoken, written, and signed forms. It is culturally and historically diverse, with an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 languages worldwide, and relies on social conventions for acquisition and use. The study of language, known as linguistics, explores its evolution, cognitive aspects, and the relationship between language and thought.

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13 views4 pages

Документ

Language is a structured system of communication characterized by grammar and vocabulary, enabling humans to convey meaning through spoken, written, and signed forms. It is culturally and historically diverse, with an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 languages worldwide, and relies on social conventions for acquisition and use. The study of language, known as linguistics, explores its evolution, cognitive aspects, and the relationship between language and thought.

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ruslanyuldoshev17092002
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Language is a structured system of communication that consists

of grammar and vocabulary. It is the primary means by which humans convey


meaning, both in spoken and written forms, and may also be conveyed through sign
languages. The vast majority of human languages have developed writing
systems that allow for the recording and preservation of the sounds or signs of
language. Human language is characterized by its cultural and historical diversity,
with significant variations observed between cultures and across time. [1] Human
languages possess the properties of productivity and displacement, which enable
the creation of an infinite number of sentences, and the ability to refer to objects,
events, and ideas that are not immediately present in the discourse. The use of
human language relies on social convention and is acquired through learning.

Language is a structured communication system made up of grammar and vocabulary. It is the primary
means by which people communicate meaning verbally and in writing, and can also be conveyed
through sign language. Most human languages have developed writing systems that can record and store
the sounds and symbols of the language. Human language is characterized by cultural and historical
diversity and varies considerably from one culture to another and over time.[1] Human language has the
productivity and displacement properties of generating an infinite number of sentences and the ability
to refer to things, events and ideas that do not immediately appear in speech. Human language use
depends on social conventions and is learned through learning.

Estimates of the number of human languages in the world vary between


5,000 and 7,000. Precise estimates depend on an arbitrary distinction
(dichotomy) established between languages and dialects.[2] Natural
languages are spoken, signed, or both; however, any language can
be encoded into secondary media using auditory, visual, or tactile stimuli –
for example, writing, whistling, signing, or braille. In other words, human
language is modality-independent, but written or signed language is the way
to inscribe or encode the natural human speech or gestures.
Depending on philosophical perspectives regarding the definition of
language and meaning, when used as a general concept, "language" may
refer to the cognitive ability to learn and use systems of complex
communication, or to describe the set of rules that makes up these systems,
or the set of utterances that can be produced from those rules. All languages
rely on the process of semiosis to relate signs to particular meanings. Oral,
manual and tactile languages contain a phonological system that governs
how symbols are used to form sequences known as words or morphemes,
and a syntactic system that governs how words and morphemes are
combined to form phrases and utterances.
The scientific study of language is called linguistics. Critical examinations of
languages, such as philosophy of language, the relationships
between language and thought, how words represent experience, etc., have
been debated at least since Gorgias and Plato in ancient Greek civilization.
Thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778) have argued that
language originated from emotions, while others like Immanuel Kant (1724–
1804) have argued that languages originated from rational and logical
thought. Twentieth century philosophers such as Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–
1951) argued that philosophy is really the study of language itself. Major
figures in contemporary linguistics of these times include Ferdinand de
Saussure and Noam Chomsky.

The number of human languages in the world varies from 5000 to 7000. Actual estimates depend on the
arbitrary distinction between language and dialect (dichotomy).[2] Either the natural language is spoken,
or signed, or both are used. However, any language can be encoded in additional media using auditory,
visual or tactile stimuli such as writing, whistling, gestures or Braille. In other words, human language is
independent of form, but written or sign language is a way of writing or encoding natural human speech
or gestures.

Depending on the philosophical view of language and meaning, when "language" is used as a general
concept, it can be used to describe the cognitive ability to learn and use complex systems of
communication or the set of rules that make up these systems. , or a set of statements that can be made
in that rule. All languages rely on the process of symbolization to associate symbols with specific
meanings. Spoken languages, sign languages, and tactile languages have a phonetic system that
determines how symbols are used to form words or sequences called morphemes, and a syntactic
system that determines how words and morphemes are combined to form sentences and utterances.
The science that studies language from a scientific point of view is called linguistics. The philosophy of
language, the relationship between language and thought, how words represent experience, and more.
Something like a critical study of language has been discussed in ancient Greek civilization since at least
Gorgias and Plato. Thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) argued that language emerged
from emotion, while others such as Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) argued that language emerged from
rational and logical thought. Twentieth-century philosophers such as Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951)
argued that philosophy is essentially the study of language itself. Important figures in modern linguistics
include Ferdinand de Saussure and Noam Chomsky.

Language is thought to have gradually diverged from earlier primate


communication systems when early hominins acquired the ability to form
a theory of mind and shared intentionality.[3][4] This development is
sometimes thought to have coincided with an increase in brain volume, and
many linguists see the structures of language as having evolved to serve
specific communicative and social functions. Language is processed in many
different locations in the human brain, but especially
in Broca's and Wernicke's areas. Humans acquire language through social
interaction in early childhood, and children generally speak fluently by
approximately three years old. Language and culture are codependent.
Therefore, in addition to its strictly communicative uses, language has social
uses such as signifying group identity, social stratification, as well as use
for social grooming and entertainment.
Languages evolve and diversify over time, and the history of their evolution
can be reconstructed by comparing modern languages to determine which
traits their ancestral languages must have had in order for the later
developmental stages to occur. A group of languages that descend from a
common ancestor is known as a language family; in contrast, a language
that has been demonstrated to not have any living or non-
living relationship with another language is called a language isolate. There
are also many unclassified languages whose relationships have not been
established, and spurious languages may have not existed at all. Academic
consensus holds that between 50% and 90% of languages spoken at the
beginning of the 21st century will probably have become extinct by the year
2100.[5][6][7

Language is thought to have gradually diverged from the communication systems of early primates as
early humans gained theories of mind and the ability to share intentions.[3][4] These developments are
sometimes thought to coincide with increases in brain size, and many linguists believe that language
structures evolved to perform specific communicative and social functions. Language is processed in
different areas of the human brain, but especially in Broca's and Wernicke's areas. People acquire
language through social interactions during childhood, and children become fluent by the age of three.
Language and culture are interdependent. So, in addition to the strictly communicative use of language,
there are social uses such as expressing group identity, social stratification, social grooming and
entertainment.

Languages evolve and change over time, and by comparing their evolutionary history with modern
languages, we can determine what characteristics their ancestral languages might have had in later
development. A group of languages that descend from the same ancestor is called a language family. On
the other hand, languages that have been shown to have no animate or inanimate relationships with
other languages are called isolated languages. There are many unclassified languages for which no
relationship has been established, and simulated languages may not exist at all. According to academic
consensus, between 50 and 90% of languages spoken at the beginning of the 21st century could
disappear by the year 2100.[5][6][7]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language

C I T A T I O N Close

Nicholas Evans & Stephen Levinson (2009) 'The Myth of Language Universals:
[1]

Language Diversity and Its Importance for Cognitive Science'. Behavioral and Brain
Sciences 32, 429–492.
C I T A T I O N Close

Kamusella, Tomasz (2016). "The History of the Normative Opposition of


[2]

'Language versus Dialect': From Its Graeco-Latin Origin to Central Europe's


Ethnolinguistic Nation-States". Colloquia Humanistica. 5 (5): 189–
198. doi:10.11649/ch.2016.011. Archived from the original on 26 February 2020.
Retrieved 9 February 2020

C I T A T I O N Close

[4]
Hauser, Chomsky & Fitch (2002)

C I T A T I O N Close

[5]
Moseley (2010): "Statistics Archived 12 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine"

C I T A T I O N Close

[6]
Austin & Sallabank (2011)

C I T A T I O N Close

Graddol, David (27 February 2004). "The Future of


[7]

Language". Science. 303 (5662): 1329–


1331. Bibcode:2004Sci...303.1329G. doi:10.1126/science.1096546. ISSN 0036-
8075. PMID 14988552. S2CID 35904484. Archived from the original on 31 March
2021. Retrieved 15 September 2020.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linguistics

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