The language It is the system of oral or written signs that we use to communicate within a group.
He languagefor its part, is the ability of all human beings to communicate through signs to express our thoughts.
Finally, the speaks it is the oral manifestation of language.
Although language and language are often used as synonyms, the reality is that language is the system we use to communicate and materializes in speech, while language is the human faculty, which makes an individual capable of expressing himself.
Language Language Speech Definition System of verbal, written and gestural signs that a group uses to communicate. Includes grammar rules. Ability to express thoughts and ideas through the use of verbal, written and gestural signs. Individual expression of the language. Characteristics
It is the heritage of a community.
It is expressed through speech.
It’s social.
It is made up of signs that are organized by rules and conventions.
It changes over time.
It is intangible.
It is arbitrary, since it corresponds to agreements of each community.
It is a universal heritage.
It requires the tongue and speech to be expressed.
It is an innate human ability.
It is intangible.
It is concrete.
It is subject to geographic, cultural, physical and other changes.
It manifests itself through the spoken or written word.
Types Mother tongue Second language Natural language Constructed language Living language Dead language Oral language. Written language. It is not categorized by types. examples
Spanish, English, French, Italian, etc.
A letter, a voice message, a scientific article, etc. A conversation, a speech.
What is the language?
By definition, language is the communication system used by a human group. It is made up of a set of linguistic signs that are manifested orally or in writing. You can also have a gestural system.
Language is synonymous with what we know as language (Spanish, English, French, Italian, Mandarin, etc.).
Each language has a system with its own rules, its own grammar and is publicly accessible. Therefore, it is the intangible heritage of a community.
The Spanish language, the French language or the Nahuatl language are some examples of the above.
Tongue features
These are some of the most outstanding characteristics of the language:
It is social: the language is created, verified and transmitted in community. It is organized through rules and conventions that regulate the use of the signs that make it up. It undergoes changes: the language can be susceptible to variations, but these are only perceived with the passage of time. It is intangible: it requires speech to manifest itself, it is part of an abstract reality, since it does not exist in a physical way.
types of language
The language attends to different classifications, depending on whether it is a native or second language, natural or constructed, or if it is a living or dead language.
Mother tongue and second language
The mother tongue it is the one that is assimilated in the home or immediate social group, many times unconsciously. Although there are several criteria to define this term, in general it is considered that a mother tongue meets these characteristics:
It is the first language learned. It is generally learned by transmission from the mother. It is the language that the individual feels as his own, therefore, he tends to use it to communicate complex ideas in intellectual or emotional terms, in comparison with other languages acquired later.
For her part, the second language it is learned through conscious study and is generally used as a second option, after the mother tongue.
natural language and constructed language
The natural language It is one that is established according to social practice over time, which is what determines the configuration of signs that make up the communication system. Its evolution may be influenced by other languages.
while the constructed language It is a creation of one or several individuals, who deliberately establish the signs and rules that will govern said language, hence it is also called a planned language.
He Quenya and the sindarinfor example, were created by JRR Tolkien for the world of Arda, the place where most of his fiction takes place, including The Lord of the rings.
living language and dead language
A living language It is one that is used consistently in a group or community large enough to ensure its evolution and transmission over time, regardless of whether it is native or dominant, natural or built.
Guarani, an indigenous language used in Paraguay as a co-official language, as well as in parts of Bolivia, Brazil, and Argentina, is an example of a living language.
On the other hand, one dead language It no longer has speakers, which makes it impossible to maintain its continuity. Latin is a dead language, since although there are documents in that language, and it is used in the Vatican, it does not have enough speakers to maintain its continuity.
What is language?
Language is the potential we have to use the oral and written signs of the language. That is, it is the human faculty that allows us to communicate. It is an innate and abstract capacity, since it occurs on a mental plane.
Without language, there can be neither language nor speech.
language features
In general terms, language is a capacity of the human being that responds to the need to communicate. These are some of its most outstanding characteristics:
It materializes in the language and oral or written speech. It can be verbal (speech and writing) or non-verbal (symbols, images, gestures). It is an innate ability. It is rational, since it requires the use of reason to associate the signs that will form a word or statement. It is arbitrary, since the association of symbols and ideas responds to social conventions that, moreover, can vary depending on the group. For example, the signs that form the word “house” in French (house) are not the same as those used in the Spanish language. It is universal, since language is an inherent capacity of all human beings.
language manifestations
Language can be manifested, fundamentally, in two ways: orally or in writing. Next, we explain each one.
Oral language
Oral language is the spoken expression of language through sounds (phonemes) that are organized according to previous conventions to create words and statements.
In this case, the message is immediate, ephemeral and does not necessarily require elaboration (it can be improvised).
Written language
Written language is the graphic representation of phonemes through letters or spellings.
In written language, communication can be deferred, since the message can transcend time and requires a minimum of elaboration to structure the ideas.
See also Differences between oral and written communication.
What is speech?
Speech is the individual manifestation of language. That is to say, that each speaking subject, although subject to the conventions established by the language, uses it in a particular way.
In this sense, language requires speech to materialize, but speech would not exist without language.
elements of speech
For oral speech to occur, it requires three elements:
Joint: is the materialization of the phonemes that make up a language.
Voice: the sound that results from the vibration of the vocal cords.
Rhythm: the cadence or speed of each speaking subject.
The absence of any of these elements would prevent a correct exercise of speech and, therefore, the ability to communicate would be seriously limited.
speech characteristics
Speech, as a concretization of a language, has some defining characteristics, especially if we consider it in contrast to language and language. Next, we explain some of its most relevant characteristics.
It allows the individual to communicate a message according to their own abilities, knowledge and experiences. Being an individual act, it is heterogeneous, because although it responds to the generalities of a language, it will be recreated depending on each speaker. It requires the norms of the language to be understandable, but the speech act itself is not regulated, since it is not a linguistic system as such, but rather makes use of one. It is determined by several factors: chronological, geographical, sociocultural and functional.
See also: