LANGUAGE:

DEFINITION &
NATURE
ELIEZER V. DAVID, LPT, MA
WHAT IS
LANGUAGE?
The method of human
communication, either spoken or
written, consisting of the use of
words in a structured and
conventional way.
Language is a system of words
or signs that people use to
express thoughts and feelings to
each other.
(merriam-webster.com)
Language is a system of
communication, a medium for
thought, and a social interaction.
NATURE OF
LANGUAGE
1

Language is for communication.

LANGUAGE IS FOR
COMMUNICATION
2

Language identifies
culture.
LANGUAGE
IDENTIFIES CULTURE.
Humans use language
as a way of signaling
identity with one
cultural group and
difference from
others.

Speech communities
3

Language is dynamic.
LANGUAGE IS DYNAMIC
All languages change as speakers
adopt or invent new ways of speaking
and pass them on to other members of
their speech community.

--- it is natural and inevitable.

4

Language is arbitrary.
 Languages are said to be arbitrary
because there is no necessary or
natural relationship between the words
of a given language and the concepts
that they represent.
Also, languages are arbitrary because
the rules for the combination of signs in
order to produce complete thoughts are
different from one language to the other,
and no set of rules can claim to be the
"right" one.
5

Language is systematic.
LANGUAGE IS SYSTEMATIC
A. PHONOLOGY
PHONEMES
Language is a combination of
sounds.
LANGUAGE IS SYSTEMATIC
B. MORPHOLOGY
MORPHEMES
LANGUAGE IS SYSTEMATIC
B. MORPHOLOGY
MORPHEMES
LANGUAGE IS SYSTEMATIC
C. SEMANTICS
MEANING ARE IN
PEOPLE NOT IN
WORDS.

Because of this, you must not only

consider your interpretation of the
word, but also the meaning the
communicator is trying to get
through
Did you know that “set” is the
word with the most
number of meanings?
Noun: 58
Verb: 126
Adjective: 10
LANGUAGE IS SYSTEMATIC
C. SEMANTICS
LANGUAGE IS SYSTEMATIC
D. PRAGMATICS
LANGUAGE IS SYSTEMATIC
D. PRAGMATICS

con·text
ˈkäntekst/
noun
the circumstances that form the setting
for an event, statement, or idea, and in
terms of which it can be fully
understood and assessed.
LANGUAGE IS SYSTEMATIC
E. SYNTAX
LANGUAGE IS SYSTEMATIC

E. SYNTAX

SENTENCES :
• ORDER
• MOOD
• STRUCTURE
• PATTERN
5

Language CAN BE LEARNED.