2. The defining characteristics of human language can be easily
deduced from the following definition made by an American
linguist, John B. Carol, in his book Entitled
‘The Study of Language’ (1953) :
Language is an arbitrary system of speech sounds or sequences
of speech sounds which is used or can be used in interpersonal
communication by an aggregation of human being, and which
rather exhaustively catalogs things, processes, and events in the
human environment.
Characteristics of Human Language
3. Language as human criterion
Man is a social being, who always needs company in his life. It can
hardly be imagined that he should live all alone by himself without
anyone to accompany him. In order to facilitate their efforts to provide
themselves with the necessities of life, human beings have to
cooperate with one another, which can only be carried out in a
community.
It is for the purpose of this cooperation that members of a social
group needs a means of communication, which is called ‘language’. With
language man can express his ideas and wishes to other people
such as when he needs their help.
4. Let’s have a look what the experts have to say..
Sapir (1921) gave a more plausible definition about human language by
stating that:
Language is a purely human and no instinctive method of communicating
ideas, emotions, and desires by means of a system of voluntarily
produced symbols.
David Crystal (1989):
The discussion may be summarized by referring to language as human
vocal noise (or graphic representation of this noise in writing) used syste
matically and conventionally by a community for purposes
of communication.
R.H Hobbins (1990):
Language is a form of communication by means of a system of symbols
principally transmitted by vocal sounds.
5. The different :
Both of human beings and animals produce
the sounds to convey a message. The
differents :
1. the message imparted by animals is limited to their
biological needs.
2. human communicate not only about things
connected with his biological needs, but also about
any other thing which he may deem necessary.
6. Sounds and meaning 1
• Human language is arbitrary
There is no connection between the
sound and the message
• Animal language is not arbitrary
An animal’s message and the sound
cannot be separated
7. Sounds and meaning 2
• Human language has duality
Human sounds have basic sounds
• English: /k/, /m/, /p/, /a/, etc.
• English basic sounds can be combined to
create many other different sounds
• Cat, mat, pat, etc.
8. Language rules(Displacement)
All languages have rules that guide how the
parts of languages can be combined.
Animal sounds can be combined in almost
any order and they will still have the same
Meaning. Most animals can communicate about thi
ngs in the immediate environment only. A bird ut
ters its danger.
9. Creativity
Humans can talk about topics that are
displaced
Time
Now
the past
the future
Place
things that can be seen when talking
things that cannot be seen
things that are abstract
10. Reasons for variety
Humans can create an infinite number of
messages because
Words can refer to more than one thing
Things can be called by more than one
name
Words can be combined in a variety of
ways
