Question- Define Language.

Ans.

Language Definition :- Language is a complex system of communication including selection and ordering of sounds and larger units and arrangements. Language emerges from meaningful sounds. In this way, sense, body postures, gestures, written letters etc. come within the definition of language.

Now we shall consider some definitions given by scholars :-
Definitions given by Allen :-
“Language is a means of Social Control.”
“Language is as a means of communicating thoughts.”
“Language is a social activity rather than as a means of individual self-expression.”

Definition given by A.H. Gardiner :- “Language in its widest sense, means the sum of such signs of our thoughts and feelings as are capable of external perception and as could be produced and repeated at will.”

Definition given by O. Jesperson :- “Language is a set of human habits, the purpose of which is to give expression to thoughts and feelings.”

Definition given by Block and Trager :- “A language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols, by means of which a social group operates and interacts.”

Definition given by H. Sweet :- “Language may be defined as the expression of thoughts by means of speech-sounds.”

Definition given by Langacker :- “A language is a device that establishes sound-meaning correlations, pairing meanings with signals to enable people to exchange ideas through observable sequence of sound.”

Definition given by Webstar :- “A language is audible, articulate human speech as produced by the action of the tongue and adjacent vocal organs.”

Definition given by Malinowski :- “Language is a type of speech in which ties of union are created by a mere exchange of words.”

Definition given by Sapir :- “Language is a primarily human and non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotions and desires by means of a system of voluntarily produced systems.”

Definition given by Plato :- “Ideas and feelings are the realizations but when these are revealed through mouth is known as language.”

Definition given by Pei and Gaynor :- “Language is a system of communication of sound, i.e., through the organs of speech and hearing, among human beings of a certain group or community, using vocal symbols possessing arbitrary conventional meaning.”

Definition given by Bholanath Tiwari :- “Language involves the pronouncing organs which is used by a person according to his own for expressing his ideas and feelings to others.”

Definition given by Ram Chandra Verma :- “Pronouncing words and sentences for expressing ideas, feelings and experiences is called language.”

Definition given by Patanjali : Language is the human expression which is uttered out by speech organs.”

According to definitions mentioned above, it is clear that language is used to give expression to thoughts and feelings of a social group.

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