The Nature of Language
Language is universal means of communication. No nation or tribe has ever been found or discovered without language. It shows the importance of language. There are two forms of language.
(1) Primary form of language
(2) Secondary form of language
Spoken language is the primary form of language while, written language is the secondary form of it. Written language came long after the spoken language. First people started to speak, then to write. Grammatical rules were compiled later on. Definition: Language is a series of words strung together in a group to convey meaning.
Function of language
The purpose of language is communication. Communication through spoken language means understanding and reacting to what a person says. The language carries within its cultural meaning. However, this communication may also carry out through non-linguistic forms like colours, bodily or facial expressions or by symbols or by words. But spoken language is the most important means of communication Language is also important in thinking and reasoning.
Evolution of language
Language is an expression of human activity, and as human activity is ever-changing, the language even changes with it. It seems that language changes least rapidly when its speakers are isolated from other communities, and most rapidly when they come across foreign people at the crossroads of the world. Whether much or little, all languages change in due course of time. Two different modes of language change are recognized. The change may arise very gradually, almost imperceptibly (unnoticeably), and be as gradually and unconsciously adopted by the speakers; or it may arise suddenly, as the result of an innovation made by one speaker who has prestige in the community and is, therefore, widely imitated. Gradual change It is a natural change that with the elapse of time new words are added and some old words are removed from the language. This is when new things are introduced in the market for those new words are added in the dictionary and when some old thing's use is left automatically, they are removed from the minds of people. Sudden change This change occurs when some important personalities of the society adopt are introduced some words are structures, they are rapidly accepted in the society and within a few days, they change the language. Rapid change If any community have interaction with different communities language changes rapidly. Both the nations are influenced by each other but the dependable nation accept the changes more rapidly and there are very fewer changes in the dominant nation's language like Urdu is the language of the dependable nation so it is continuously and rapidly accepting the changes.
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