Chapter - 1
General Linguistics

What is language / Origin and Development of Human Language

Question- Describe the place of English language in India.

The answer to this question is completed by consolidating the answers to the following related questions.
Related Short Answer Questions
Question - What is language?
Or
"A language is a matter of skill rather than knowledge", Explain.

Answer -

A language is a structured system of communication. The structure of a language is its grammar and the free components are its vocabulary. Languages are the primary means of communication of humans and can be conveyed through speech (spoken language) sign or writing. Many languages including the most widely spoken ones have, writing systems that enable sounds or sign to be recorded for later reactivation. Human language is unique among the known systems of animal communication in that it is not dependent on a single mode of transmission (sight, sound etc) is highly variable between cultures and across time, and efforts a much wider range of expression than other systems. Natural languages are spoken signed or both however any language can be encoded into secondary media using visual or tactile stimult - for example - writing whistling signing or braille in other words human language is modality independent but written or signed language is the way to inscribe or encode the natural human speech or gestures.

The scientific study of language is called linguistic. Critical examination of languages such as philosophy of language, the relationship between language and thought etc such as Howords represent experience have been debated at least since Gorgias and Plato in ancient Greek civilization. Thinkers such as Roussseu (1712-1776) have debated that language originated from emotions while, other like Kant (1724-1804) have held that languages originated from rational and logical thought. 20th century philosophers such as Wittgenstein (1889-1951) argued that philosophy is really the study of language itself. Major figenes in contemporary linguistics of these times include. Ferdinand de Saussure and Noam Chomsky.

Language is thought to have gradually diverged from earlier primate communication systems when early hominis acquired the ability to from a theory of mind and solved intentionally. This development is sometimes thought to have. Coincided with an increase in brain volume and many linguistic see the structures of language as having evolved to serve specific communicative and social functions.. 

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