What is

language?
 Modern Linguistics – by
John Carroll
Language is a structured system of
arbitrary vocal sounds and sequences of
sounds which is used in interpersonal
communication and which rather
exhaustively catalogs the things, events,
and processes of human experience.
 Social Scientists
Language is an open system
interacting with, changed by, and
changing its environment as part of
culture. The humanness of language
and its place in human society is one
of the most necessary and complex of
all social skills.
 TRANSFORMATIONALISTS –BY CHOMSKY

Language is a system which

relates meanings to substance.
Language is a mental
phenomenon. It is innate. Man
has the genetically imparted
ability for language learning.
 Webster’s New International
Dictionary of the English Language,
1961
Language is a systematic means of
communicating ideas or feelings by
the use of conventionalized signs,
sounds, gestures, or marks having
understood meanings.
Random House Dictionary of the
English Language, 1966

Language is any set or system of

linguistic symbols as used in a more
or less uniform fashion by a number
of people who are thus enabled to
communicate intelligibly with one
another.
 RONALD WARDHAUGH, 1972

Language is a system of arbitrary

vocal symbols used for human
communication.
 MARY FINOCCHIARO 1964

Language is a system of arbitrary,

vocal symbols which permit all
people in a given culture to
communicate or to
interact.
 TASK: COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE DEFINITIONS
AND SUMMARIZE THEM IN A TABLE

Definition Similarities Differences

Note: Include the meaning or your

interpretation of the terms you listed under
similarities and differences (if there are).
SOME CONSIDERATIONS IN RELATION TO THE
DEFINITIONS OF LANGUAGE
1. Language is used for communication
2. Language is essentially human,
although possibly not limited to
humans
3. Language is a set of arbitrary symbols
4. Those symbols are primarily vocal, but may
also be visual.
5. The symbols have conventionalized
meanings to which they refer.
6. Language is systematic and generative
7. Language operates in a speech community
or culture.