(Lecture-1) Understanding Language, Primitive Notions about Language, Definitions of Language

Summary

This lecture introduces the concept of linguistics, focusing on the fundamental aspects of language. It explains that the English word 'language' comes from the Latin 'lingua,' meaning speech or tongue. Language is defined as a system of signs for encoding and decoding information, exclusive to humans. The lecture then explores two primary theories about the origin of language: the divine creation belief, which sees language as a gift from God, and the natural evolution hypothesis, suggesting language evolved as part of human development. Finally, various definitions of language are provided, emphasizing its role in human communication and expression.

Takeaways

• 😀 The word 'language' originates from the Latin word 'lingua,' meaning 'tongue' or 'speech.'
• 😀 Language is considered a system of codes, where signs and symbols are used to encode and decode information.
• 😀 Language is an exclusive human property; no other species has the ability to use language in the same way.
• 😀 There are two primary views on how language originated: the belief in divine creation and the natural evolution hypothesis.
• 😀 According to divine creation belief, language is a gift from God to humans, with Adam being the first to name living creatures.
• 😀 Some people believe language has magical properties, influencing people, objects, and even spirits.
• 😀 The natural evolution hypothesis suggests language evolved naturally over time as humans developed more sophisticated brains.
• 😀 The process of evolution helped humans acquire a brain capable of creating language, making communication and learning possible.
• 😀 Scientific thinkers argue that language is not as old as humans; instead, it evolved gradually alongside human development.
• 😀 Definitions of language vary, but key concepts include the expression of ideas through speech sounds, arbitrary vocal symbols, and voluntary communication methods.

Q & A

What is the origin of the word 'language'?

The English word 'language' derives from the Latin word 'lingua', which means 'tongue', 'speech', or 'language'.

How is language referred to in terms of encoding and decoding?

Language is referred to as a system of codes, where signs and symbols, like letters and words, help in encoding (input) and decoding (output) information.

What is the third point about language in the script?

The third point is that language is an exclusively human property, meaning no other creatures possess language, and only humans have the innate ability to speak and use language.

What are the two primary beliefs regarding the origin of language?

The two primary beliefs are the belief in divine creation, which holds that language is a gift from God, and the natural evolution hypothesis, which suggests that language evolved over time.

What is the belief in divine creation regarding language?

The belief in divine creation suggests that language is a gift from God to humans, and that Adam, the first human, was given the task of naming all living creatures.

What does the natural evolution hypothesis propose about language?

The natural evolution hypothesis proposes that language evolved gradually as humans' brains developed over time, making language acquisition and learning possible.

What does the script say about the magical properties of language?

The script mentions that some people believe language has magical properties, allowing it to control people, objects, and spirits, with such powers attributed to divine creation.

Why does the script argue that language cannot be as old as humans?

The script argues that language cannot be as old as humans because if it were, humans would speak immediately after birth, which is not the case. Children do not speak right away, suggesting that language developed later.

According to the script, how did humans' brain development contribute to language acquisition?

According to the script, as humans evolved, their brains became more sophisticated, eventually enabling them to invent language and learn how to use it for communication.

What are the three definitions of language mentioned in the script?

The three definitions of language mentioned are: (1) According to Henry Sweet, language is the expression of ideas through speech sounds combined into words and sentences. (2) According to Bernard Bloch and George L. Trager, language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols for social cooperation. (3) According to Edward Sapir, language is a human method of communicating ideas, emotions, and desires through voluntarily produced symbols.