# 1 What is language?

Language is of central importance to our everyday lives: we are constantly reading, writing, listening, speaking, gesturing, grimacing, laughing, crying, etc. You are using language right now! Given its importance, perhaps it’s useful to begin by asking ourselves: What exactly do we mean by ‘language’?

As a first step, consider the difference between ‘language’ and ‘languages’.

## Activity 1

Allow 30 minutes

Watch the videos below, which were recorded in China, Zimbabwe and Spain. You will see people speaking three different languages – Mandarin Chinese, Shona and Spanish – in three different cultural settings.

Try to observe as if encountering language for the first time. Make a list of things that all the extracts have in common and a list of things that are different. Include observations on as many aspects of communication as possible (e.g. meanings, body language, sounds, grammar, social conventions, etc.)

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### Discussion

We take the differences and similarities between languages so much for granted that it is very easy to overlook the obvious. Nevertheless, you might have noticed the following.

## Similarities

In all three videos:

- people make sounds with their mouths which speakers of the same language perceive as strings of words, and interpret as meaningful
- there is a tendency for one person to speak at a time, and to supplement their words with meaningful gestures, facial expressions and intonation
- you will probably be able to make a good guess at the type of interaction, the emotions expressed, and the relationship between the speakers – suggesting perhaps that these aspects of interaction have at least some universal characteristics.

## Differences

Sounds, words, gestures and their meanings are all different, and it is these differences which (bar a few coincidences) make languages mutually unintelligible.

OpenLearn - Language in the real world
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