Language as a System of Communicating Ideas - Essay Example

English language Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Code: Date of Submission: The purpose of this paper is to determine the reliability of English and how realistic it is. It further discusses the importance and world views of language specifically English. Language is the systems of communicating using signs, symbols or written word (Yule 1996). In order for communication to take place, the sender and the receiver must share a common language. In the modern world there are many cultures which are coming up among different cultures which have made communication difficult. In this regard there developed English language which is a common system of communication among many communities in the world. Through English language people have developed identities and can conduct business and other transactions across the world. Language especially the English language has helped to distinguish the identity of people (Thornborrow 1999). English language has done a great deal in developing the social identity of people or communities. Communities which share common language often share common norms and cultures hence language has also helped to define different cultures. Language can separate identity of individuals through various factors some of which include the school someone went to and the wealth status of the person. This association of individuals led to the development of a common communication culture or language. For instance, teenagers can speak a language that means a lot to their age group and may not be understood by the aged people. In this aspect language identifies an individual with the age group he or she belongs to through by just assessing the language they use. Language also identifies the identity of individuals through naming and ritual practices. Some names can clearly show the identity of an individual by assessing the language used to name the individuals. For instance in the US and Britain people are differentiated through the first name and family name. The name given is chosen while the family name is possibly the father’s name. This identifies an individual to which family he or she belongs to by using the family name (Bauer et al 2006). In some cultures like the Russian culture, individuals are identified with the extension of the name showing somebody is the son or daughter of so and so. After identifying the individuals appropriate language can be used to ease communication. Furthermore, language identifies people through the address. The way people are referred to in different communities clearly identifies somebody. For instance, somebody can be identified by being referred to as Sir, Madam, Mrs. K, Dr. B, and Mr. David. This address in English language somebody is a man, a woman, a doctor or someone is a wife to somebody (Bauer et al 2006). Therefore language can be used to identify the marital status of someone, the academic qualification or the sex that the person belongs to simply by referring to the address of that person. Moreover language can help to know the identity of the audience through style variation and language variation. The way people of different age groups are addressed can help to know the age group of the audience. Style language variation is when the grammar of the language is altered. Pronunciation can differ among different age groups (Stckwell 2007). For instance, ‘you was’ can be pronounced as ‘you were’ according to different age groups. The factor that leads to variations in language style is the language of the audience. Different audiences have different language styles and therefore to communicate effectively the speaker must identify the audience uses and in this regard the language could have identified the individuals into groups. However this form of identity of imitating somebody’s language style may turn out to be an insult because the audience may feel that they are being mocked and therefore they may not perceive the message as intended (Brutt et al 2001). Language can also be used to identify people whether they are businessmen or politicians or any other group. The political language is different from business language and therefore the language someone uses indicates his or her career. However, there are those arguments which devalue English language as a language that undermines their local languages. They argue that adopting English as the only international language undermines the minority languages. There are those communities which are preservatives of their cultural language and they feel threatened by English because due to world interaction local communities’ languages will be abolished. The scholars further argue that English language threatens and promotes divisiveness between communities whose first language is not English (Hudson 1996). These communities are disadvantaged because they take time to learn the language before starting to interact with the outside world. In this sense, their development rate is lower than the communities whose first language was English. These different development rates lead to divisiveness between various communities. English language has significant impacts in the daily life. The language helps individuals to gain knowledge and be professionals in different field (Hudson 1996). For instance in Sri Lanka all students and school going children are forced to learn English because it is the overall of all aspects in the academic system. All through to University students are thought in English language therefore anyone who does not learn English will not acquire the academic knowledge and not only in Sri Lanka but the whole world. English is a competitive language in finding a job in the modern world. The world has been flattened and there is free mobility of manpower which implies that there has to be a standard language that will help people to communicate and share ideas. For instance, when the applications for job vacancies are done, English language is given a priority. This is because English is an international language and will help the employee to conduct business worldwide. English language helps people to communicate with their families and friends who might be of different cultural backgrounds (Smith 2003). There could be no communication going on if it were not for the international language English because different communities have different languages they use in communication but in order to communicate with someone from a different cultural background, there has to be a universal language to be understood by both parties which is English hence it makes things easier to handle as individuals can understand one another. Language improves the ideas and skills of individuals. This is possible because there is interaction between individuals and communities of different cultures who share ideas and come up with complex skills. For instance an idea from one community can be combined with an idea of another community and develop a more viable future. Finally, English can be used to access information through the internet. The significant amount of information on the internet is written in English and can only be of meaning to people who understand English. The internet can be used for a number of purposes including communication, sourcing of suppliers, promoting the business and accessing academic materials by students (Smith 2003). Therefore, English language is so important in retrieving information from the internet. Language, identity and worldviews are related and convey the same message. They both develop through learning. English language is developed through interaction with others while language proves the identity of individuals and the world views are developed through learning as well (Reichel 1999). For instance, different terms are used when describing different landscape features. Individuals, who are learned and are conversant with modern technology, use different languages when referring to landscapes while individuals who are not conversant with would refer them in a different way, thus they develop different worldviews and identity. Language, identity and worldviews are related in a way that they are both developed through exposure. When individuals interact with others for example through learning institutions, they will develop a different culture from the one they come from. They develop a language that is understood by their group members and a worldview about how they view things. In this sense they become a group and develop a new culture. Language, identity and worldviews can be learnt from the media (Futrell 2006). Different age groups have different programs they like watching most. From these programs and celebrities, they tend to develop a culture that imitates what they see and hear. In this regard, individuals of the same culture share same language, can be easily identified due to their behavior and different worldviews on how they view things. Language is a system of communicating ideas and information through signs, gestures and symbolic patterns. Language like the English language is realistic has it has enabled the world to flatten. English as an international language has made communication easy as various communities with various cultures can share ideas and transact business. Furthermore, English language has developed a sense of identity of individuals among the many communities of the world. Language especially English is important because it has made communication easier, has enabled people to improve their ideas and skills and has helped people to share access information from the internet besides proving the identity of individuals (Stockwell 2007). Language, identity and worldviews are related in a way that they are both learned through experience, through socialization, through learning, through the media and through exposures. References Bauer, L., Holmes, J & Warren, P 2006, “Do women and men speak differently” in Language Matters, Basingstoke, Palgrave, p. 146-153. Brutt-Griffler, J & Samimy, K 2001, Transcending nativeness paradigm, World Englishes, Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 99-106. Futrell, M 2006, Worldview Diversity. Retrieved 20th May 2013 from http://www.teachingaboutreligion.org/WorldviewDiversity/wvdiversity.htm Hudson, R 1996, “Varieties of language” in Sociolinguistics, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, p. 24-25. Reichel-Dolmatoff, G 1999, A view from the headwaters, The Ecologist, Vol. 29, No. 4, p. 276-280. Stockwell, P 2007, “Register and Style” in Sociolinguistics: A resource book for students, London, Routledge, p. 8-10. Stockwell, P 2007, “Pidgins and Creoles” in Sociolinguistics: A resource book for students, London, Routledge, p. 21-24. Smith, D 2003, Essay: Confessions of a Native Speaker, Asian Englishes, Vol. 6, No. 1, p. 92-96. Thornborrow, J 1999, Language and Identity: Language, Society, and Power, London, Routledge, p. 135-149. Yule, G 1996, “Language, society and culture” in The study of language, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, p. 240-245. Read More