What is a Language?
When you elaborate the meaning of a language, it is simply that 2 entities utilize in order to converse with one another. Normally, these entities are people, but in a restricted sense, an individual can apply language in order to be in touch with his computer or pet as well. However, person-to-person language is exceptional that I may be imaginatively remixed in an endless number of methods to convey never-ending counts of ideas. Definitely, in communication over 2 people can be engaged, but for today, the discussion will focus on 2 people discussing politely with each other.
At any instance, 1 person is talking and the other 1 is paying attention. The speaker has several concepts in his mind that he desires to express to the other individual. He subconsciously translates this thought to a message that he believes will be comprehended by his peer. In linguistics, you call this process “encoding”. He forwards this message to his peer, who acquires it and is expectantly able to translate it back into the concept that his peer wants to express, a procedure known as “decoding”. Encoding happens throughout writing and speaking as well as decoding happens throughout reading and hearing.
The message from the speaker to the hearer is in fact made up of 3 portions, the 3 main constituents of language which are the sound system, grammar and dictionary. The dictionary also termed as lexicon, is the depot of words (lexemes) that an individual has in his brains. In fact, it is beyond than simple words as is it enclosed with meanings, grammatical functions, cultural applications and a lot more. The term “encyclopedia” could be used as well. Grammar pertains to the arrangement of the words that arrive in (syntax), the methods that the words are structured from its origins, suffixes (morphology) and prefixes, and also the method that the paragraphs and sentences are combined to structure longer passages (dialogue analysis). The sound system (phonology) in a language consists of the physical symbolization and visibility of terms and sentences that journey from the lips of the speaker towards the ear of the one who hears. In reading and writing, the sound system is frequently symbolized by some type of alphabet.
Two individuals who utter the equal language have fundamentally the equal dictionary, sound system and grammar in their brains, letting a fair and even encoding and decoding. This is to the point that these constituents vary, for instance, an English speaker coming from South East portion of the US and an English speaker all the way from New Zealand. Their communication process will be more complicated and will necessitate some effort on the part of both the speaker and listener. At times the listener may need to request for clarification and sometimes the speaker will need to modify his speech to be able for him to become more comprehendible.
This goes to the speakers of 2 different languages as well. If they utter languages which are associated with each other (like in the equal language group) such as Spanish and French, then they deal with some common characteristics in their mental sound systems, grammars and dictionaries. However, this is insufficient for them to totally communicate with one another. But, due to the commonality between these languages, one can study a language that is association to his mother tongue much quicker and conveniently than a person who will really learn a foreign language. For instance, Arabic and Korea share nearly nothing in words of dictionary and small with regards to grammar, and they have greatly dissimilar sound systems. So for a Korean who attempts to learn Arabic, it will become more complicated.
But the entire expectation is not lost, but due to the entire languages having great similarities, these things are what the linguists describe as language universals. For instance, the entire languages have techniques of explaining when an event happens, who is performing the action, who is acquiring the action, and more. Linguists argue whether these language universals are things that are natural to human intellect (probably you are familiar with the name Chomsky) or whether these are an outcome of human’s similar existence and familiarity in the world. For instance, T. Givon – a form of nature versus nature argument – but either these universals assist the language learning procedure. And any person who has studied a first language during his childhood has the nature to understand a second language whether you are a kid or a grown up, although aging reduces a person’s capability for total fluency in another language.
This setting starts to elucidate what it indicates to study another language. To study the sound system, grammar and dictionary of a language to be able to appropriately encode and decode points.
#1 by Jesus Jimenez on January 3 - 4:35 am
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yo quisiera saber si es posible aprender Ingles con ustedes tanbien.
Gracias
#2 by Michael on February 19 - 9:11 am
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Czech:
Myslím si, že toto místo je výborným zdrojem pro všechny studenty jazyků!
Polish:
Myślę, że ta strona jest wspaniałym źródłem dla wszystkich uczących się języków obcych!
Russian:
Я думаю, что этот сайт является важным источником для всех изучающих язык!
Italian:
Credo che questo sito è una grande fonte di tutti gli studenti di lingue!
Spanish:
Creo que este sitio es una gran fuente para todos los estudiantes de idiomas!
German:
Ich glaube, dass diese Site eine große Quelle für alle Fremdsprachen-Lernenden ist!
French:
Je pense que ce site est une excellente source pour tous les apprenants de langue!
Welsh:
Rwy’n meddwl bod y wefan hon yn ffynhonnell wych i bob dysgwr iaith!
Hungarian:
Azt hiszem, hogy ezen az oldalon van egy nagy forrás minden nyelvtanulók!
English:
I think that this site is a great source for all language learners!
(Guess what? I can speak all of these languages fluently and I am only 12!!)
#3 by Rajeev Gautam on June 6 - 11:28 am
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hi my name is rajeev gautam im an indian from india .i wanna learn italian as my 2nd language im fluent in english.plz tell me how can i start it,i wanna learn full & gremetical italian languege .
#4 by Rajeev Gautam on June 6 - 11:31 am
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please send me the detail how to start italian languege to learn i wanna learne a to z languege .with italian gramer
#5 by JayashriV on June 19 - 3:52 pm
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I am an Indian Singaporean, 16. I guess there aren’t very many Singaporeans out there who have the same dream; to be a linguist. Right now, I want to learn as many languages as possible because I really do enjoy the process of working through them systematically. I especially enjoy complex grammar, in fact, more so than actually getting to use the language in a real situation. For that reason, I have an aversion to vocab; but I have learnt to accept it as a necessity.
The following are the languages I want to have learnt when I whisper my last words.
Those I’m learning now:
English (first language), Tamil (mother tongue), French (in school), Czech (on my own), conversational Mandarin.
In the future, all on my own (no tutor) & in this order:
Sanskrit, German, Latin, Greek, Finnish/Swedish Spanish, Russian, another Slavic language, old English, Japanese/Korean.
I initially thought of putting languages that aren’t similar or don’t use the same script beside each other to reduce confusion of any sort, but then I realised that instead, putting them close together would allow better comparison and perhaps better learning, too.
Wish me luck!
[Czech is one of the nicest languages I've heard, but the complex grammar takes some getting used to. Still, I thoroughly enjoy it :-]