| 1.2 |
Definition of language
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The word "language" comes from
the Latin word lingua - meaning "tongue and speech".
The word since its beginning, has included the meaning of both "oral"
and "written" languages. |
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Essentially there are three
types of language- based on the combination or exclusive use of written system
and/or sound system: |
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| Medium |
System |
Description |
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Sound only |
Passed down oral cuture |
native cultures, ancient druids |
| Sound and
Symbol |
IDEOGRAPH-CUNIFORM, HIEROGLYPH |
Icon representing part of a word, or a sound
that when combined is associated with one word, one idea |
| LOGOGRAPHIC-CHINESE,
MATHEMATICS
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Icon
representing a word then associated with one or more sounds represents an idea |
| PHONOLOGIC-CYPRIOT, CHEROKEE,
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Icon directly represents a spoken sound
(syllable) that when combined represents a word/idea. |
| ALPHABETIC |
Abstract Icons that when
combined form a word, and/or combination of sound |
| Symbol only
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PICTOGRAPH |
Literal simplified drawing of real world object |
| IDEOGRAPH |
Abstract or conventional
ideas (objects or concepts) |
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| 1.2.1 |
Ideographs as the building blocks of
symbolic language |
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For symbolic languages, a single symbol
or association of symbols represents a particular idea. Using Egyptian
hieroglyph, certain symbols such as the eye represented the concept of
"see", the ibis as the symbol for the concept of "find" . |
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| 1.2.2 |
The dominance of sound and symbol
(phoenetic) languages |
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Today, sound and written languages
dominate in terms of cultural use and systems of learning. Even mathematics is
both a written and sound language. |
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