Language And Culture Essay, Research Paper
Question 2: Language is the most influential form of communication. It is the most powerful instrument an individual can have. By definition, language is the use by human beings of voice sounds, organized in order to express and communicate thoughts and feelings. It is what has shaped our society into what it has become today, what has allowed our civilization to excel and progress into what is now modern day. Language has allowed the individual to communicate within a group as well as within him in order to accomplish many goals. It gives us a means by which we can organize our ideas and thoughts into rational, logical actions. It is also a vehicle by which we can gather, analyze, and learn from information. There is no question that human beings are the most powerful living creature on this planet. And why does this fact remain true? Communication. In spite of the historical conflicts miscommunication has created, our ability to converse as we do enables us to dominate the modern world. No plant, animal or mineral can communicate on the level that we do. Language is distinct from other forms of communication in many ways. Language depends upon use of symbols with arbitrary meanings, which allow us to: 1) negate, deny, lie, conceal and modify; 2) talk about things that are not present; 3) talk about abstract qualities and categories; 4) talk about things that have never existed; 5) enable humans to solve problems, to create, innovate, imagine, dream, and hope, etc. Language entails use of syntax, which is the organization of words into meaningful phrases, sentences, etc, and multiplies the uses of a limited number of words in any given language’s vocabulary into an infinite number of possible statements. Language includes illocutionary events, all the unspoken tones, emphases, gestures, facial expressions, that modify our speech and that make simultaneous communication of contradictory messages possible.
Language has those differences played a role in making culture a central part of human adaptation. Culture implies “a substantial degree of sharedness, boundedness and coherence of a locally cumulated way of life,” we share interests, language, lifestyles, and ideals. This sharedness of values is what helps make this connection to others possible. Culture is human’s primary adaptation. Culture is embedded in language. Why? Because of the continuity of language, we can use it to trace historical ties among human societies and culture. With continuity of written language, we can inherit the knowledge from our ancestor and pass this knowledge to our next generations. We can say that language makes culture possible and culture gives us life. Language is a parameter for which to run our lives, however it does not lay definite guidelines as to what will ensure us success. There are no physical barriers within language, each individual chooses their own route to follow. The human language may be manipulated and twisted, it can be made to convey similar ideas in many different forms. The mastering of the human language is the strongest element that individuals can posses to ensure success. Without the ability to communicate by language an individual is helpless, ending up lost and out of touch from society. There is no doubt that humans benefit from the power of language. It can be said that language is what makes humans mobile, without it we would be helpless. Language is an extremely fortified form of communication. It can make us laugh, cry, get angry or cheer us up. Language is the most popular form of communication and we see it everywhere. Everyday we use language in its many different parts. Whoever said, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” really knew nothing about the power of language.