Unit 1 LANGUAGE

The question,"What is language?" can have several different answers, and all of
them may be acceptable. For our present purpose, however, let us look at language as:
skill, tool, form and function.

First, language is a set of skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. They
are often known as the four language skills. Of these four skills, the listening skill is the
first to develop. It develops during the first eighteen months of babyhood. The speaking
skill develops at about the age of one and half years or so. By about four or five years of
age, the child is able to use his mother tongue quite efficiently. It is only when the child
goes to the school that he or she learns to read and write.

Here, we should note that listening and speaking work together as a pair of skills,
while reading and writing work together as another pair. We should note further that
when we are listening or reading, we are not producing language; we are receiving
language. That is why, these two skills are often known as receptive skills. When we are
speaking or writing, however, we are producing language. Thus, speaking and writing
are often known as productive skills. (See the diagram below.)

Second, language is a tool for communication. This means that we use language
to speak to someone, or to write to someone. To speak, we use vocal symbols; to write,
we use written symbols. What is interesting here is that when we speak, we use gestures
such as movement of our arms, hands, head, and also facial expressions to help the
listener understand us better. When we write, however, we use graphics such as pictures,
photographs, charts, tables, etc. to help the reader understand us better. Thus, we may
say that speaking and gestures go hand in hand, just as writing and graphics do.

Third, communication may be in one of two forms: verbal communication, and

non-verbal communication. In verbal communication, we use words and sentences.
They may be spoken or written. In non-verbal communication, on the other hand, we
use gestures and graphics. (See the diagram below.)

Fourth, we use language to help us perform many social functions, which are
very much part of our day-to-day life. This means that we use language:

- to greet or to bid farewell (such as: Hello! Bye-bye! See you later. etc.)

- to pass on information (such as: The film last evening was very exciting.

I believe Dick failed the exam. etc.)

- to ask someone a question or two (such as: How are you? Have you done your
homework? etc.)

- to request (such as: Could you please give me a hand? Pass me the salt, please. etc.)

- to ask for permission (such as: May I come in? Could I borrow your bike for the
morning? etc.)

- to instruct someone what to do or how to do something (such as: Take one tablet
three times a day. Add a teaspoon of sugar and stir. etc.)

- to direct someone how to get to a certain place (such as: Go down this road. Turn
left at the traffic lights. The second building on your left is the museum. etc.)

- to thank or express gratitude (such as: Thanks a lot. How very kind of you. Thank
you so much. etc.)

- to respond to words of thanks and gratitude (such as: The pleasure is mine.
Please don't mention it. You're most welcome. etc.)
- to apologize or express regret (such as: I'm sorry. What a pity! I'm sorry to hear
that. Oh, what a shame! etc.)

- to agree or disagree (such as: Yes, that's right. Of course. Sorry, I can't accept that.
I'm afraid you're quite wrong there. etc.)

- and to perform many, many other functions.

In addition, language reflects culture, preserves culture, passes on culture from

one generation to the next, preserves nationality, and also identifies social class.