Difference Between Speaking And Wring

Have you ever wondered how we speak? How about why our communication is considered a language and other animal’s communication is not considered language? A wide range of beliefs exist on what defines language. Thus, by exploring the definition of language and lexicon, evaluating language’s key features, the four levels of language structure and processing, and the role of language in Cognitive Psychology, an understanding of what language is becomes clear. Let us begin by defining language and a term named lexicon.

Language is a method in which individuals communicate in order to get their opinion across to the listening party. Language is the tool which ideas can be conveyed in various ways. Typically, language is referred to verbal communication, however, it ranges to all methods of communication i.e. sign language.

As English has come to be known as the global language, it has moved toward paramount over the past decades. The majority of uses of English occur in contexts as a “lingua franca”, that is the language of heterogeneous linguistic communities whenever they wish to be mutually intelligible to speakers of other languages. Language is the unique characteristic of human so that it distinguishes human beings from other animal species. From four well-known language skills i.e. reading, writing, listening, and speaking, Rivers(1981)argues that speaking is the most frequently skill, that is used twice as much as reading and writing in our communication.As it is the means through which we express our opinionsthinking process, intentions and viewpoints. Speaking and writing usually have been considered as productive skills in comparison with listening and reading and it has been classified into two major groups: Monologue and Dialogue, that according to Nunan(1989)the dialogue focuses on the interaction with other speakers, in contrast, monologue refers to uninterrupted oral presentation. Moreover, according to the previous classification, speaking serves one of the two functions: transactional (transfer of information) and interactional (maintenance of social relationships) (Brown & Yule, 1983). As Nunan (1999) and Burkart and Sheppard (2004) argue,

Language is a cognitive function that most of us take for granted. It starts from early on, some say at conception, and it develops in complexity as we get older. It is an essential part of communication and without it its development would be greatly hindered. This natural process requires complex structures and reasoning, the bringing together of sounds and words to develop concrete ideas and thoughts. In this paper we will discuss the components of language and how it relates to cognitive processes.

Prior to this unit of Language and Literacy, my understanding of the term language was limited. I have gained insight that language and communication not only can be spoken but also can be physical. When the topic of language was studied further, I was introduced to new concepts and meanings of language. Particularly, body language where humans communicate first with their body and decide by the physical signals presented on whether they are a friend or enemy, for instance in the video presented it was specified that upon meeting one another we see their suitability or if they are ‘like us’. Furthermore, the assessing of body language links back to the evolutionary progression of our psychology, one which still influences our daily interactions

Language is the essence of our being, it is a type of shared knowledge in which people are able to communicate and interact with one another. In the Metamorphosis, Gregor is unable to communicate properly as his voice has been transformed into a bug-like sound. Franz Kafka is using Gregor's inability to communicate as a way of depicting how the very deprivation of language is what makes us lose our humanity. Language is what defines us as humans as it provides us with the cognitive tools required to shape the way we think. Without said tools one cannot simply communicate with other individuals.

Linguistics has impacted cognitive psychology as the quest to understand language acquisition and the structure of language itself is undertaken. Linguistics is a complex and multifaceted; it includes language structural patterns and language development (Barsalou, 2005). The process of language development is complicated and dense, as the study of language is examined; the role of cognition is inherently examined and analyzed. Sternberg (2006) also explores language as an innate process and presents the idea that humans are born ready for language as a biological and cognitive process.

Language as an object can mean many things but it is a physical thing, something you can see, e.g. social media, written, spoken, audio, text etc. Language as a social process is different than being an object. It is how individuals and groups interact, adjust/readjust the relationships and patterns of behaviour and how they are modified through social interactions, it is how we speak, formal vs informal, language in social context etc. Social process is dynamic forever changing. Although language as an object and as a social process are different, language can be both an object and a social process, you can’t really have one without the other, because no matter the object of language it is forever changing and individuals and groups are

There is much discrepancy among linguists regarding the origins of language. Most linguists argue that only specific influences gave rise to the language system that exists today. Some linguists, like Noam Chomsky, argue that language is an innate function of human nature while others, like Daniel Everett, posit that language is solely a cultural product. As a result of this debate, the question arises: What are the true origins of language? The human need to communicate and to express ideas is a true instinct that leads to the development of language. Therefore, rather to say that language has a single origin, it is more probable to say that language is a synergistic product of established human neurological and biological processes that

Language is an organized and uniform method of conveying information. In order for something to be considered “language” it must be intended. Language must also be part of a structured system. For example, with the English language, there are rules regarding grammatical structure. Moreover, language must be creative and open-ended allowing it to be relevant to a specific situation or time period. Because different types of language are widely used, one can assume the language influences our thoughts and perceptions of the world to a great extent. As the strong version of the Sapir and Whorf theory suggests, language serves as a mold in which our thoughts are categorized. These thoughts and perceptions allow one to create opinions on the information given based on his knowledge and ability to process the it.

The existence of language extends back to the dawn of humanity (Gee & Hayes, 2011, p. 7), and is considered a core basic property of the human race. And is vital to the health and wellbeing of humans intellectually as well as socially and emotionally (Perlovsky, 2009, p. 249). It is a symbolic set of rules that from birth humans develop to communicate with one another (Lust, 2006) and is a dynamic process that takes on numerous forms and meanings.

Language is best seen as a five-pronged system made up of these things: Phonology – Sounds that are combined to make words; Lexis – Which are words; Orthography – Spelling rules that standardise the way in which specific words are written; Syntax – Grammar – Rules that govern the order of words to form sentences; Semantics – The meanings of individual words as well as phrases, clauses, sentences and texts (Gardner, 2017, slideshow topic 1, slide 16). Without these five basic principles language would become an object not necessarily a physical one but a mental one to start with, because if you can’t group a sentence together in your head that makes sense then how can you communicate with one another. With that in mind, having learnt these five basic principles we move onto the five functions of language: Personal – expressing feelings, concerns, thoughts, clarifying ideas; Interpersonal – Salutations (which is an acknowledge meant of a greeting or saluting someone), discussing, social chat, sharing ideas, showing concern; Directive – Influencing others actions e.g. like your boss giving you an order, persuasion, requesting information, warnings; Referential – Reporting actions/events that have taken place, identifying objects, company things; Imaginative – Story telling, problem solving, discussing creative things (Finocchiaro, Brumfit, 1994, pg. 65-66) (Gardner, 2017, slideshow topic

People usually speak because they want to communicate with one another. However, most people do not realize that speech and language are not the same thing. Michael Agar (1994) says that speech is how an individual uses language to communicate. Thus, speech is dependent on what a person says, so “there’ll be individual and social variation” (p.37). In comparison,

Language can be seen, through modes such as body language, hand signals, photographs and pictures. Language can be heard, through conversations, storytelling and music. Language can be standard and diverse, each dialect has a “standard” form, which other, diverse, dialects branch off. The word language may mean different things to different people. There is no incorrect interpretation of the word language. Many people will have different interpretations of the word language based on their personal background. To most, language is a way of speaking. However, not all language is spoken or heard. Language is more than just words in a sentence. Fellowes and Oakley (2014, p. 18) explain that language can be supported by or replaced with gestures, facial expressions and eye contact. Language is the way in which humans interact with each other. Fellowes and Oakley (2014, p. 17) state that language is the prime means of communication between people. Woolfolk and Margetts (2013, p.97) define language as a “shared symbolic system for human communication”. Language comes in many forms, including music, mathematics, hand signals, pictures, or the use of the body. Gee and Hayes (2011, p. 6) define language as something that is cognitive, material, social and individual. These different definitions and interpretations of the word and meaning of language only prove that language is not standard. This essay intends to gain a deeper understanding of the role of language in children 's lives,

Gee and Hayes (2011) explain that “’language’ can mean different things”, for example it can be oral, recorded, written and it can also refer to the rules that are in place to speak, read and write a language correctly grammatically. They also explain that it can be viewed as “a set of social conventions, shared by a group of people, about how to communicate”. This last way of