Language, Language And Language

Too view language as if it were an object devoid of its social context would not be seeing language for its creation and use, language is used at its full potential when spoken, language is so important to humans, we use language to express, to think and communicate within the world we live. Language has changed over time, it is thought that at one time we had one original language that was spoken, and “as different human groups spread across the world and communicated only with each other, the original language changed in different ways in different places” (Gee, P,. & Hayes, E. (2011). pg 8), because of these changes, and socialisation of different humans, we now have many diverse human languages. Language has changed and will continue to

Language is an integral part of human existence. It is not only a crucial tool in which we use to convey meaning to others, but also a cultural construct passed down from previous generations that helps to define who we are and how we relate to others. Ultimately language defines our relationships with others, the way we use language is shaped by our own socio- cultural background and also that of whoever we may be communicating with. Self awareness of how our own use of language has been shaped by our background and an understanding of what shapes others use of language leads to better communication, understanding and empathy.

Language has been an integral part of human existence since the dawn of time. Our innate ability to communicate has guided the progress of civilization since its modest beginnings and facilitates our understanding of what it means to be human. The only practical way to thoroughly express one’s identity is through language, whether it be verbal speech or written text. It is only through this medium that we are able to fulfill our roles as a social people, who use discourse to cultivate relationships both on a personal and communal level. Language defines the human notion of self by revealing culture and beliefs, making individuality context-specific, and providing identity markers.

British novelist William Golding once stated, “Language fits over experience like a straight-jacket.” As human beings, we feel the constant urge to express and communicate, in hopes of making sense of the world around us. However, language is limiting, restrictive, and confining. It attempts to place infinitely complex experiences into a finite number of words. The significance and essence of human experience is lost through our words, because language simply cannot express our thoughts and emotions in their truest forms. But, who would we be without language? Lacking the ability to communicate would take away from our understanding of the world and people around us. This understanding of our place in society, is what forms our identity, because it sets us apart from others. How could we know good, if there was no such thing as bad? The meaning of the word “good,” would be rendered useless without the existence of “bad.” Similarly, our identity depends on not only who we are as individuals, but who we are in relation to others. As a result, language is deeply embedded in our sense of identity, because it provides us with the knowledge that gives us the ability to compare ourselves to the world around us. With this thought in mind, to what extent does language influence our identity?

The Language of our Time Language, spoken or written, is a form of human communication consisting of the use of words in a conventional and structured way. The language of our birth, the language of everyone’s first words, creates a powerful bond and shapes an individual’s perception of the world. And yet, only few people truly understand the effects a language can have on others or the extent a language can manipulate people through their state of mind. Language can help define the identity of an individual. It shapes a person’s mind based on their past and helps people into the future.

Have you ever experienced what it feels like to be bullied for your differences? I was in the 5th grade when I first encountered what it meant to be ridiculed for the way you speak. There was a time when my classmates made fun of another boy for the way he was speaking English. The boy was very quiet and only spoke to his cousin during class. The only language he was comfortable speaking was Chinese. My classmates at the time were taking turns recreating what they thought his language sounded like. Every so cruelly they mocked him in a way that was extremely racist; they were bullying him. I specifically remember one girl telling him, “Does your language sound like, ching chong, chong?”, she proceeded to laugh while she asked him. I never stuck up for him when I heard this, and I feel ashamed till this day that I didn’t speak up for him. Language shaming can come from anyone, and it takes many forms. In “Coming to Language” by Jimmy Santiago Baca, the passage gives us a personal experience, he has with language shaming from a teacher and how it affected his life and his journey of finding freedom through writing. In addition we see, another example of language shaming in “Living with Dyslexia” by Gareth Cook where he talks about his learning disorder and how it altered his relationship with teachers and his life. There is great similarity between Baca, Cooks and I’s encounter with teachers and language shaming. Since I’ve been in college, I have had three professors tell me

Language is used to communicate and convey meaning from one person to another. It is an arbitrary system of sounds and symbols in which it is contextualised and is used to express cultural identity and social relationships. Language can be seen by the way individuals communicate through gestures and facial and body expressions. Language can be heard through voice and attitude (Gee & Hayes, 2011). Language is diverse in the sense that different languages have different words for the same concept. However language allows communication of values and beliefs. Kilickaya (2009) highlights that, ‘English is the best option for people from different backgrounds’. Within Standard English different registers are used to assist communication,

When we, as people, speak, we convey our beliefs, morals, and inner thoughts through language; therefore, the way in which we do so reveals a lot about our personalities and lives. After reading the assigned essays, it is clear to me that language plays a vital role in my life and helps to reveal who I am as a person. The language used by myself and the people I surround myself with molds my speaks patterns and life as a whole everyday. Amy Tan, author of “Mother Tongue,” explains better than I ever could how the language that we use and are exposed to changes the type of people we are in general. In one excerpt from the essay, she stated that the language she grew up with molded her beliefs and overall perspective on the world. One of the

Language is our thoughts expressed, it’s how we attempt to define ourselves and set ourselves apart as individuals or as part of a social gathering of living situation.

One universal aspect of the human condition is communication. Finding some way to convey the abstract concepts of our minds in such a way they can be understood by others is a fundamental necessity of being a human in culture as we understand it. It is with this understanding that the question has been asked; if language is the medium through which our perceptions are channeled, how much are our perceptions distorted by language? How much is our language distorted by our perceptions? Is this relationship something that could be manipulated, and how effective would it be? Thankfully, these are questions that

The language used in writing is different from the language used in everyday speech. Writing is permanent; once something is written or printed, it cannot be changed easily. On the other hand, speech is transient; the speaker can make a couple of corrections and change utterances as he speaks (Cali & Bowen, n.d.). Secondly, written text can communicate across time and space on the condition that the language is understood. Speech, unless recorded, is for immediate interactions (Cali & Bowen, n.d.). Thirdly, written language is mostly complex. Since written text is permanent, there is careful organization and choice of structure (Cali & Bowen, n.d.). The structure comprises of short and long sentences

Language is the art of communication. Through language we communicate emotions, knowledge and ideas with each other. Language can be both verbal or symbolic. Language can have a strong influence on our perceptions and how we view each other. In this essay I’m going to talk about how the way words are communicated can affect their perceived meanings.

Everyone has a different interpretation of the word, “invention”. However the word is simply defined as; a new device, method of process developed from study and experimentation. An invention is just a mental fabrication; it’s a falsehood (Dictionary.com 2013).1 Although in the essays, “Why I write” by Joan Didion, “Life in a new Language” by Eva Hoffman, and “Basmati Rice: An Essay about Words” by Audrey Thomas, each author has their own view on the English language, how they each began inventing their own writing styles, and also their reasons for why they chose to become writers. These are the three things that make their definitions of invention very particular and their own.

For all humans, language is the most common means of communication with others and it enables us to share our experiences and stories and to tell about our needs and feelings. For example, Yamamoto states that sociolinguistics see, it is ‘primarily through the use of language that people communicate with each other’ (1979: 146). We all speak one or more languages and as the main way of communication it is an important and vital part of our lives. There is many languages in the world and they differ from one another in many ways. But does the language we speak reflect to the way we see and experience the world around us? This paper will explore the question through the Sapir Whorf hypothesis and arguments for and against it.

* In the educational field, the teaching learning cycle is a model used in contemporary teaching in both school and adult educational settings. Rothery (1996 in Derewianka & Jones 2012, pg 43) who originally developed the model used this to aim at disadvantaged children for teaching literacy and writing in the KLA (Key learning areas) who were from socially disadvantaged areas. Over time the model has been phased across other areas of the English language such as listening, speaking, reading as well as writing. The key involvement of the teacher also known as ‘expert other’ in the teaching learning cycle is guiding the learner to understand key concepts in academic literacy through use of scaffolding strategies to transform students