Human language has several key properties: 1. It allows for displacement by referring to past and future events as well as abstract concepts, unlike animal communication which is limited to the immediate moment. 2. The relationship between linguistic forms and their meanings is arbitrary - there is no natural connection between a word's form and what it refers to. 3. It is productive, allowing humans to combine linguistic elements to create an infinite number of new expressions, while animal communication uses a fixed set of signals.

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Properties of language
Assigned By:
DR. SHAHID NAWAZ
Faculty of English, I.U.B

2. Language
 A system of communication that enables human to exchange verbal or
symbolic utterances. (Theory of Knowledge, Dr. Mark Burgin)
 It consists of the development, acquisition, maintenance and use of
complex systems of communication, particularly the human ability to
do so. (Wikipedia)
 Language is a system of symbols that are meaningful and articulate
sound (generated by said tool) which are arbitrary and conventional,
which is used as a means of communicating by a group of human
beings to give birth to feelings and thoughts.z ( Wibowo )
 Language is the expression of ideas by means of speech-sounds
combined into words. Words are combined into sentences, this
combination answering to that of ideas into thoughts.
(Language, an article by Henry Sweet)
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3. The Properties of
Human Language
 Unique system of communication
 Informative signals: signals which you have not
intentionally sent  body language (sneeze, strange
accent )
 Communicative signals: signals you use intentionally to
communicate something
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4. Properties of human language
 Displacement
It means that human language can overcome
the limitations of time and space.
• Human language refers to the past, present and
future- last night, at school, I’m flying to Paris next
week
• Abstract concepts: Things that do not exist in real
life, e.g. superman, batman, Santa Claus
• Animal communication- No displacement.
immediate moment
• Exception: Bee language: dance routine to
communicate the location of nectar
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5. Properties of human language
 Arbitrariness
Human linguistic signs do not have any
natural connection between its form
and meaning.
 no natural connection between a
linguistic form and its meaning=
arbitrary relationship
 Cat in English and ‫رہ‬ِ‫ھ‬ in Arabic.
 In animal communication- non arbitrary
 a connection between the message and
the signal used to convey the message.
 Consists of a fixed and limited set of
vocal forms
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6. Properties of human language
 Productivity
The human ability to combine limited linguistic signs
to produce new sentences and expressions.
o Humans are capable of creating new expressions for
new objects- infinite
o a language user can manipulate his linguistic
resources open-endedness
o Animals have limited set of signals to choose from-
fixed reference
o Cannot produce any new signals to describe novel
experiences
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7. Properties of human language
Cultural transmission
Human languages are passed down by the society in
which one lives and grows up.
 We acquire language with other speakers  not from
parental genes
 The first language is acquired in a culture
 A Pakistani child living in UK.
 Language passes from one generation to another
 Animal communicative signals are produced
instinctively.
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8. Properties of human language
Duality
Human language can be both spoken and written. Even the
languages do not have alphabet can be written down using
symbols. Contrary to it animal languages are only spoken.
 Two levels: distinct sound & distinct meaning
 Physical level : when we produce individual sounds e.g. n, b, i.
 Meaning level: when we produce sounds in combination e.g.: nib,
bin
 Economical feature
 Animal communicative signals appear to be fixed
 Typically cannot be broken into parts- meow is not m+e+o+w, woof
is not w+o+o+f
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9. Properties of human language
Other Properties:
 Vocal-Auditory Channel : Producing sounds by vocal organs and
perceiving them by ears.
 Reciprocity: A Speaker/read can also be a listener/ receiver.
 Specialization: Language is used linguistically.
 Non-Directionality: Unseen but heard messages can be picked up by
anyone.
 Rapid fade : Linguistic signals are produced and disappeared quickly.
 Discreteness: This refers to the uniqueness of the sounds used in
human languages. Every language uses a set of different sounds. Each of
these sounds is different from the rest and is combined to form new
meanings. Individual sounds can change meaning. e.g. pack-back , bin-
pin. But animal languages do not have this feature of discreteness.
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10. THANKS
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Prepared By: Abdul Wahid