Language that we use - Essay Example

In the present world thousands of languages exist. People from different parts of the world speak different languages. The Chinese speak Mandarin, Australians speak English, Arabians speak Arabic, the Argentines speak Spanish, etc. How well others the language you use defines you and not the language you use. Non-verbal communication has the same importance as the verbal. If a person is in foreign land and not familiar with the local language, he interacts with other through non-verbal movements or in other words signs.

Deaf and dumb persons use the sign language. It helps them in communicating with others and makes their lives a lesser difficult. Human beings are different from other animal, that's why they are called as social animals. This is because they can think and most importantly can communicate easily with each other. To reduce the gap between geographical areas and the curiousness of man to know what's on the other side has made him to invent different languages. Thousands of years ago they started communicating with each other.

In 3500BC alphabets were invented in the written form. This helped in the introduction of postal service. This way communication between different parties was made. The Chinese invented paper and the book came by 100AD. Slowly all the writings were entered into the books. Books were best for storing information for long time without causing much damage. Newspapers were introduced into the Europe by 1450AD. Words or short phrases can exhibit the distinction between purely informative and partially expressive uses of language.

Many of the most common words and phrases of any language have both a literal or descriptive meaning that refers to the way things are and an emotive meaning that expresses some (positive or negative) feeling about them. Thus, the choice of which word to use in making a statement can be used in hopes of evoking a particular emotional response. This is a natural function of ordinary language, of course. We often do wish to convey some portion of our feelings along with information. There is a good deal of poetry in everyday communication, and poetry without emotive meaning is pretty dull.

But when we are primarily interested in establishing the truth-as we are when assessing the logical merits of an argument-the use of words laden with emotive meaning can easily distract us from our purpose. Language is not static it is organic. It grows out of usage and need. What's important is not whether a word is being used in its original meaning, but whether it is understood within the cultural milieu it is being used in. Words come and go and when deemed necessary add to their meanings in any language that is vibrant.

It is only a word's roots that remain fixed not the word itself. If words cannot evolve to meet cultural needs, perceived or otherwise, the language is doomed. One of the difficulties many people face is understanding the language. If a person lands up in a foreign land and not familiar with the local language faces many problems. The same has happened to Tan and her mother in the essay "Mother Tongue". Her mother was not familiar with English language and hardly understands it. This became a major problem to her.

She can't communicate with others and cannot build friendly relationships with her neighbours. She can't go to the market alone since she cannot speak English