Language uses symbols like letters, words, and gestures to represent objects, actions, and ideas. A language is meaningful because its symbols can be understood by others who know that language. A language also has structure and rules for combining symbols into comprehensible messages.

3. According to Leondes (2005),
“Language is a shared, structured system of
communications.”

4. A
NGUAGE
SYMBOLS
ds, gestures, or written
at represent objects,
, and ideas. Symbols
o refer to objects that
place or events that
t a different time.
B
UAGE IS
NGFUL
be understood by
that language.
C
E IS
E,
symbols
ombined
nite
ges.
D
ES
e
e to
uage
red
A system of communication
has to meet certain criteria
in order to be considered a
language:

5. A LANGUAGE USES SYMBOLS
Symbols are key to language.
Harley (2001) defines language as “a system of symbols and
rules that enable us to communicate”, while psychologist
David Premack, in his 2004 article, Is Language the Key to
Human Intelligence, asks if language, the symbol system
that “evolved only in humans”, makes us the most special
(Premack, 2004).

6. English language uses 26 letters,
while Chinese language uses
this number Chinese characters or
logogram.

7. A LANGUAGE IS MEANINGFUL
Languages have developed and are
constituted in their present forms in order
to meet the needs of communication in all
its aspects.

13. REFERENCES
https://www.sparknotes.com/psychology/psych101/l
anguageandcognition/section1/#:~:text=A%20syste
m%20of%20communication%20has,actions%2C%2
0events%2C%20and%20ideas.&text=A%20languag
e%20has%20rules%20that%20govern%20how%20s
ymbols%20can%20be%20arranged.
Leondes, C. (2005). Intelligent Knowledge-Based
Systems. Business and Technology in the New
Millennium.