Language Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Language - Research Paper Example The ability to produce a clear and concise meaning of what an individual means to relay allows for the better understanding and by extension relations of the participating individuals (Kennison, 2013). The importance of language to man and the emphasis on its development can be seen by the general portrayal of the past progress that was made from Cave men to the modern man that is seen today. In most instances the cave man is shown as an individual with ability to speak and form clear words and communicates mostly with grunts and gestures in the same manner that an ape for example would do (Kennison, 2013). As man continues to evolve and develop as a species the change is seen not only in the posture (that straightens into an upright position) but in their ability to communicate with one another as well (Fitch, 2010). The emphasis of language as one of the crucial elements of evolution lays the foundation for the argument that it is an important part of the human element and is thus involved in one way or another in daily life and in studies such as the humanities and social sciences (Trask, 2007). However to fully grasp the involvement between language and these studies it is critical to comprehend the key concepts of language such as the various definitions that are available. The understanding of these elements would serve to produce a good depiction of the relationship between these two subjects. Textbook Definition The textbook definition of language can be seen as the simplest manner of explanation for the description of the subject (that is, language). This description aims at cutting across the various sub-topics that arise in this matter and present an accurate representation of the meaning of the word (Kennison, 2013). The text book definition of language in this case can be the use of a complicated system of communication by human beings to relate messages to one another in various manners of forms such as spoken and written word as well as gestures in some cases (Fitch, 2010). A language can be termed as any manner of communication that meets this description and there are a large number of languages of languages that have been developed around the world. However, it should be eminent that the textbook definition of language would not be able to fully assist in the relation of the modern day approach to humanities and social sciences and the subject. It is however important in the progression of one’s understanding of the subject so as matter to allow for a clearer perception of the other available definitions of language (Trask, 2007). It is crucial that one first learns the basics of the topic before delving further into the connection that exists between the studies that have been mentioned and the involvement of language in their development and progression. The further definitions of language can be seen to originate from different viewpoints that have been studies in relation to the topic in an attempt to explain the various fundamentals that govern this subject. Language in Relation to Social Structure The human language can be seen to be unique in a number of aspects that are lacking in other species of animals that populate this planet. This is due to the number of properties that can be found in it when studied closely (Trask, 2007). Some of these include elements such as recursivity, productivity and displacement. These are all elements that are not found in