Question

Research some of the general characteristics of language and the concept of speech acquisition in infants.
Researchers describe language as having six different properties. Describe the six properties. Which two properties do you think are the most important? Explain your answers with reasons.

Answer 1

Language varies across places and timelines. In spite of this there are six key properties of language as described by linguists as follows:

1. Arbitrariness: Arbitariness of language states that the words we use are symbols thattdo not themselves have meaning but rely on the meaning we have given it. Example: Chair being chair is a meaning we have associated with the word.
2. Cultural transmission: Cultural transmission of language states that language is transmitted from one generation to another and thats how we learn it.
3. Discreteness: Discreetness of language shows that each word in the language has a unique or discrete sound which symbolizes something.
4. Displacement:It is the ability of human language to be spoken across time lines and spaces
5. Duality :The ability of human language to be produced in multiple forms.
6. Productivity: It is the ability of human language to be able to combined together to form a particular meaning or evoke ideas.

The two most important properties out of these are productivity and discretion as it allows language to be specific yet used in varied ways